j»A^t:«>»., ■."■»?'■ 


./'^ 


-:^^ 


/I* 


/^i! 


TRIP   TO   ALASKA 

OF  WHAT  WAS  SEEN  AND  HEARD  DURINC 


SUMMER   CRUISE   IX  ALASKAX 
WA TERS 


BY 

GEORGE   WAIiDMAN 

UNITED  STATES  TREASURY  AGENT  AT  THE  SEAL  ISLANDS 


Sax  Fiiancisjco 
SAMIT.L   CARSON   &  CO.    PUBLISIIEllS 

VX)  SUTTKR  Srr.KKT 
BOSTON     LEK   AND   SHKI'AllD 

ISS.4 


»     r^     (*,■     F'     '«- 


Copyright, 

1884, 

Hv  Sami'i:i,  Cakson'. 

All  Itifilits  liesfrred. 

A   lliU'lX)  ALASKA. 


WLF 

4in. 


Vi   i^\ 


CONTENTS. 


I. 

II. 

\ 

III. 

IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 

X 
'^ 

n 

VIII. 

IX. 

X. 

XL 

XII. 

XIII. 

XIV. 

■^ 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

o 

XVIII. 

XIX. 

-  XX. 

^ 

XXL 

XXIL 

XXIII. 

XXIV. 

San  Francisco  to  Nanaimo      ....      1 

It  Rains 13 

J'oLi.owiNG  Vancouver's  Wake    ...    22 

Canoes  and  Cakved  Poees 3;") 

Wrangel  and  Sitka 46 

Sitka  and  Kadiak 61 

Kadiak 65 

The  Shumagin  Islands 72 

Onalaska's  Shore 77 

Sealskin  Sacql'es 89 

Communistic 109 

The  Fur  West 119 

Islands,  Rocks,  and  ^Mummiks  ....  132 

Our  Arctic  Relations 144: 

St.  Michael's  and  the  Yukon     .    .     .  1.56 

Killing  the  White  Whale 165 

Superstitions 170 

Dogs  and  Drivers 178 

Products  of    iih:  Yukon  Region.     .     .  186' 
The  Summer  Chov  of  Sfals     ....  200 
Aleut  Courtship  and  Marriage      .     .  21;') 

A  Fated  Polar  (RriSEP^ 221 

A  Wreck 226 

Conclusion 235 


A    TEIP     TO    ALASKA. 


CHAPTEK  I. 

SAN   FRANCISCO    TO   NANAIMO. 

"Xn'OTWITHSTAXDING  all  that  has  been 
-^^  written  about  Alaska  there  seems  to  be 
an  amazinof  lack  of  o-eneral  information  amoncr 
the  people  of  the  United  States  concerning  that 
country,  its  inhabitants,  climate,  resources,  and 
even  its  extent.  People  ask,  "  Is  it  very  cold 
in  Alaska  ? "  when  there  is  a  range  of  nearly 
twenty  degrees  in  latitude,  reaching  from  fifty- 
four  to  seventy-two  north  and  a  variation  in 
temperature  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  degrees, 
Fahrenheit,  between  the  hottest  summer  and 
coldest  winter  Aveather.  The  general  idea  of 
Alaska  is  based  upon  crude  notions  concerning 
Sitka,  and  are  not  much  more  valuable  than 
would  have  been  the  notions  of  a  wild  African 
cast  away  upon  Ke}'  West  four  hundred  years 
ago  about  the  region  now  knoAvn  as  the  United 
States. 


2  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

In  the  summer  of  1879  the  writer  obtained 
permission  from  Hon.  John  Sherman,  ut  that 
time  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  to  proceed  in 
the  United  States  revenue  steamer  "Richard 
Rush,"  Captain  Bailey,  on  her  cruise  from  San 
Francisco  to  Sitka,  the  Fur  Seal  Islands,  the 
Sea  Otter  Grounds,  and  other  points  in  Alas- 
kan waters.  The  voyage  proved  exceedingly 
interesting,  and  the  author  gave  an  account  of 
what  he  saw  and  heard  to  certain  newspapers, 
in  a  desultory  way,  but  he  has  been  led  to 
believe  that  his  observations  may  l)e  read  in  a 
more  permanent  form  with  interest,  and  he 
hopes  with  profit,  by  those  who  may  be  in 
search  of  information  concerning  Alaska. 

Going  from  California,  or  the  east,  to  Sitka, 
the  most  practical  route  of  travel  is  b}^  steamer 
from  San  Francisco.  The  course  is  coastwise 
to  Cape  Flattery,  and  then  up  the  Straits  of 
Fuca  and  by  inland  passages  to  the  objective 
point.  The  interest  of  the  voyage  to  the 
tourist  begins  at  the  mouth  of  the  Straits, 
"where  the  vessel  leaves  the  open  sea  and  enters 
a  broad  channel  with  Washington  Territory 
upon  one  hand  and  Vancouver  Island  on  the 
other.  From  this  point  to  Sitka  the  scene  is 
one  of  varied  interest  to  the  traveller,  and  quite 
free  from  the  usual  discomforts  of  ocean  travel. 


SAX  FRANCISCO   TO  NANAIMO.  3 

De  Fuca,  who  reported  the  discovery  here  of 
a  great  inland  passage  to  Hudson's  Bay  or  some 
Mediterranean  sea,  gave  a  "Wonderfully  imagi- 
native account  of  the  rich  and  rare  products  of 
the  country  and  the  wealth  of  the  natives,  who 
were  said  to  be  decorated  with  gold  and  silver 
ornaments  in  great  profusion,  thus  proving 
very  conclusively  that  he  knew  nothing  about 
the  country,  but  had  only  been  mildly  en- 
dorsing in  1640  what  De  Fonte,  another  alleged 
Spanish  navigator,  told  about  as  early  as  1582. 
This  bold  liar,  whose  existence,  however,  was 
never  fully  established,  related  that  he  had 
found  a  northwest  passage  through,  in  about 
latitude  fifty,  to  the  Atlantic,  along  which  he 
sailed  for  three  hundred  leagues,  till  he  met  a 
ship  from  Boston,  commanded  liy  a  Captain 
Slade,  who  gave  him  not  only  a  succinct  ac- 
count of  the  i)assage,  but  sold  him  charts  of  the 
entire  coast  on  l)oth  sides  for  ten  thousand 
dollars.  The  charts  never  appeared  in  print, 
having  been  mislaid  somewhere  on  board  the 
purchaser's  ship.  It  is  more  than  strange  they 
have  never  been  published.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  a  book  was  published  purporting  to  have 
been  written  by  T)e  Fonto.  init  the  fact  that  it 
was  published  in  Fngli>h.  by  an  Fdinburgh 
house,  leads  to  the  susjiicioii  that  De  Fonte 
never  existed  outside  of  the  print-shop. 


4  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

At  all  events,  though  Captain  Cook  discov- 
ered and  named  Cape  Flattery,  before  being 
barbecued  by  the  Sandwich  Islanders,  even 
then  the  fact  of  the  existence  of  such  an  open- 
ing of  the  sea  into  the  land  as  the  Straits  of 
Fuca  was  doubted.  "When  Captain  Vancouver 
arrived  off  the  coast,  only  a  degree  below,  he 
MTote  doubtingly  of  it,  and  denied  the  existence 
of  the  Columbia  River  even,  after  having  passed 
its  very  mouth.  He  referred  to  the  reports  of 
such  openings  as  the  probable  creations  of 
"closet  philosophers."  After  having  passed  up 
to  Nootka  Sound  as  "  one  of  the  openings  "  to 
Fuca  Straits,  he  dropped  down  to  Cape  Flat- 
tery, and  to  his  great  astonishment  soon  found 
himself  sailing  in  an  inland  sea  about  fifteen 
miles  in  width  and  Avithout  bounds  to  the  east- 
ward as  far  as  he  could  at  first  observe.  It 
Avas  not  till  the  evening  of  the  second  da}'  of 
his  cruise  that  he  arrived  at  Avhat  proved  to  be 
the  archipelago. 

Captain  Vancouver  went  to  work  like  the 
thorough  navigator  tliat  he  was,  when  once 
certain  that  tliere  Avas  something  to  be  investi- 
gated, and  ho  made  a  complete  survey  of  all 
the  inlets,  channels,  and  shoals,  not  only  in  the 
Straits  proper,  but  up  to  the  head  of  Pugot 
Sound,  Avith  all  its  ramifications  ;  and  to  this 


SAN  FRANCHSCO   TO  NANAIMO.  5 

(lay,  his  is  the  best  description  of  these  waters 
extant,  although  he  made  his  examination  in 
1792.  His  delight  on  getting  out  from  the 
stormy,  foggy  sea  over  which  he  had  been 
sailing  for  days  and  weeks,  and  passing  through 
such  scenes  as  the  "Rush"  came  upon  after  the 
fog  arose,  may  be  better  imagined  than  de- 
scribed, for  this  region  was  then  in  a  primitive 
condition  of  unbroken  forests,  covering  pictur- 
esque hills  and  snow-capped  mountains  that  rear 
their  hoary  heads  above  the  envious  clouds. 
As  we  steamed  up  from  the  Pacific  the  mists 
clung  about  the  hillsides  till  about  eleven 
o'clock,  when  they  arose  somewhat  on  the 
northern  shore,  but  clung  to  Washington  Terri- 
tory with  great  persistence  till  noon.  The 
British  side  from  the  mouth  of  the  Straits  up  as 
far  as  Victoria  and  beyond  is  climaticall}'  fav- 
ored, having  hio-h  mountains  to  break  the  force 
of  the  northerly  winds,  and  a  southern  expo- 
sure sloping  down  to  the  water's  edge,  offering 
every  inducement  for  summer  residences  and 
picnic  grounds.  The  American  side  is  more 
given  to  fogs  and  raw  winds,  which  sweep 
across  the  fifteen  miles  of  open  water. 

From  a  purely  picturesque  point  of  view  this 
country  is  all  that  could  be  desired,  and  the 
farther  one  penetrates  into  the  country  the 
attractions  for  the  tourist  multiply. 


b  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

The  town  of  Victorica  is  beautifully  situated, 
but  it  is  a  dead  town.  It  was  largely  built  up 
during  the  Fraser  lliver  gold  excitement,  which 
commenced  in  1857,  attracting  hither  thousands 
of  miners  who  a])andoned  li'ood  dia'ffinsrs  in  Cal- 
ifornia  and  arrived  here  in  a  starving  condition, 
but  confident  of  a  revival  of  '49  flush  times. 
They  were  doomed  to  disappointment  and 
extreme  suffering.  Hundreds  died  of  hunger 
and  exposure,  l)ut  thousands  returned  to  Cali- 
fornia after  undertjoinjr  almost  incredible  hard- 
ships.  A  few  remained  and  made  "grub" 
wages,  but  the  great  expectations  proved  falla- 
cious, and  as  the  prospects  lessened  and  the 
diggings  "  petered  out,"  Victoria  began  to 
decline  and  went  down  almost  as  fast  as  it 
o^rew.  Rows  of  houses  constructed  at  irreat 
cost  now  stand  idle  in  the  half-deserted  city, 
which  once  enjoyed  a  consideral)le  degree  of 
oommercial  prosperity. 

About  thirty-live  miles  southeastward  from 
Victoria,  and  at  the  entrance  proper  to  Pugot 
Sound,  is  Port  Townsend,  the  American  coun- 
terpart to  British  Victoria.  It  is  a  dilapidated 
place  of  an  easy-going  character,  celebrated  for 
dogs,  drinking-shops,  and  a  custom-house.  We 
did  not  see  Port  Townsend,  and  what  I  say 
refers  only  to  its  general  reputation.     It  may 


SAN  FRANCISCO   TO  NANAIMO.  7 

be  as  moral  and  virtuous  a  place  as  a  settlement 
of  Shakers  for  aught  the  author  knows  person- 
ally. Above  Port  Townsend  there  are  a  num- 
ber of  small  cities,  the  most  ambitious  at 
present  being  Seattle  and  Taconia,  the  latter  of 
which  hopes  to  be  the  western  terminus  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  Railway. 

Passing  Victoria  we  wind  sharply  around  to 
the  left  between  Trial  and  Discovery  Islands, 
finding  ourselves  in  a  narrow  channel,  and  we 
leave  the  Straits,  Paget  Sound,  and  Olympian 
Mountains  away  to  the  southward.  The  pretty 
little  farms  above  and  below  Victoria  all  enjoy 
an  air  of  apparent  prosperity,  green  in  verdure 
or  brown  in  new-plowed  fields,  as  we  pass  to 
the  left  of  the  once  famous  San  Juan,  about 
which  we  did  not  want  to  fight,  but  would  not 
give  up,  and  which,  along  with  other  islands 
around  it,  was  awarded  to  us  by  good  and  kind 
King  Wilhelm,  now  Emperor  of  Germany. 

San  Juan  was  for  a  long  time  a  bone  of  con- 
tention between  Uncle  Sam  and  John  P>ull,  l)ut 
it  was  a  sort  of  frontier  paradise  in  its  way. 
There  were  two  military  encampments  upon  the 
island,  ours  on  the  eastern  and  the  Pritish  on 
the  western  side,  both  claiming  and  neither 
darino-  or  carinir  to  exercise  civil  or  criminal 
jurisdiction  over  it.     The  troops  were  friendly 


8  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

enough,  and  used  to  meet  half  wa}'  to  play  base 
ball,  cricket,  and  other  national  games.  As 
neither  owned  the  property  in  fact,  neither 
could  or  would  collect  taxes  for  years ;  and 
Avhen  it  came  to  tr\ing  criminals  for  such  pleas- 
antries as  killing  people,  that  was  a  more  deli- 
cate piece  of  business  still,  and  the  consequence 
was  a  man  might  murder  an  entire  family  and, 
if  arrested,  prove  himself  to  be  an  xVmerican 
citizen  or  an  English  subject ;  and  it  was  equal 
to  an  alibi  or  a  plea  of  insanity — and  much 
cheaper. 

There  is  one  thing,  however,  that  San  Juan 
is  good  for,  and  that  is  lime.  It  is  an  island  of 
limestone,  and  if  enough  people  would  come 
out  to  this  region  and  l)uild  a  sufficient  number 
of  houses  to  create  a  demand  for  it,  we  might 
put  San  Juan  through  lime-kilns,  and  so  get  rid 
of  it.  But  unless  the  Inmiigration  Bounty  Bill, 
or  some  similar  bad  measure,  shall  become  a 
law,  there  is  no  telling  ■when  there  will  be  a 
demand  for  San  Juan  lime. 

The  "San  Juan  question"  was  whether  the 
main  channel  from  the  forty-ninth  parallel 
going  out  to  the  sea  l)y  the  wa}'  of  the  Straits 
of  Fuca  led  through  the  Canal  De  liaro  on  that 
side  of  the  island  toward  Vancouver,  or  through 
Ivosario  Straits,  on  the  American  side,  the  main 


SAN  FRANCISVO   TO  NANAIMO.  9 

channel  from  our  western  land  terminus  at  the 
forty-ninth  parallel  being,  by  the  terms  of  the 
treaty  under  the  Northwestern  Boundary  Com- 
mission, determined  on  as  the  national  water-line. 
Swinij^ino;  around  still  farther  to  the  left,  as 
we  pass  San  Juan,  we  catch  a  last  glimpse  of 
Mount  Baker,  sixty  or  seventy  miles  to  the 
southward,  covered  with  snow,  and  now  we 
begin  to  pass  away  up  the  east  side  of  Van- 
couver, but  among  countless  islands  which 
divide  the  waters  here  into  channels,  winding 
in  and  out,  a  labyrinth  of  land  and  water.  On 
every  side,  behind  and  before,  are  rugged 
islands  rising  up  out  of  the  sea,  and,  with  few 
exceptions,  covered  with  evergreen  trees  at  the 
tops,  while  those  of  a  lighter,  fresher  green 
abound  near  the  bases.  The  inspiring  breeze 
which  had  helped  us  along  up  the  Straits  died 
away  ere  this,  or  is  lost  to  us  in  the  iirst  great 
bend  around  from  Victoria,  and  the  blackened 
canvas  of  the  energetic  little  steamer  has  been 
folded  away  as  carefully  as  clean  napkins.  The 
air  grows  warm  among  these  islands  shortly 
after  noon,  and  having  walked  the  deck  for  an 
hour  or  so,  it  seemed  like  midsummer,  while  a 
thermometer  swinging  in  the  open  :iir  over  the 
pilot-house  indicated  seventy-six  above.  Then 
we  enter  upon  one  of  the  most  interesting  litlle 


10  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

runs  experienced  on  this  trip.  This  is  the  pas- 
sage through  Active  Pass,  where  for  a])out  two 
miles  we  are  led  to  port  and  starboard  in  short, 
sharp,  quick  turns,  directed  by  our  pilot,  like  a 
beginner  pushed  through  the  bewildering  move- 
ments of  a  contra-dance. 

At  every  turn  new  beauties  come  suddenly 
into  view ;  new  islands,  new  shapes,  new^ 
scenery,  with  here  and  there  an  Indian  rancheria 
or  a  somewhat  civilized-looking  shanty  nestling 
among  the  trees.  Occasionally  a  son  of  the 
forest  (and  sea)  paddles  his  way  along  in  his 
trusty  "dug-out,"  as  proud  and  independent  as 
a  Doge  of  Venice  in  his  gondola ;  and  it  may 
be  doubted  if  ever  the  Adriatic  was  so  beauti- 
ful as  this.  The  loveliest  islands,  the  most 
inviting  groves,  the  greenest  mosses  and  briglit- 
est  waters  are  seen  everywhere. 

Out  of  this,  nature's  })loasure  grounds  of  lake 
and  jjrove,  we  emer2:e  into  the  Gulf  of  Georgia 
—  a  broad  expanse  of  water  stretching  away  to 
the  westward  beyond  the  horizon.  On  the 
right  is  a  gap  in  a  timbered  promontory,  mark- 
ing the  line  Avhere  the  forty-ninth  parallel  finds 
its  jum})ing-()fr  })lace  in  the  extreme  north- 
western cornel"  of  the  Ignited  States.  Beyond 
this  we  soon  have  the  mouth  of  Frascr  River  on 
our  riirht,  and  all  aloiiu-  on  that  side  are  snow- 


SAX  FRAXCL'iCO   TO  XAXAIMO.  11 

capped  mountains.  Xow  we  stem  up  through 
this  broad  inland  sea  for  Xanaimo  with  no  ob- 
struction in  our  path,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  see. 
We  continue  steaming  up  the  gulf  till,  after  a 
gorgeous  sunset  of  crimson  and  gold,  and  a 
temperature  down  to  fifty,  we  make  a  long  curve 
of  six  or  seven  miles,  still  toward  the  left,  and  are 
now  heading  directly  toward  our  starting  point 
on  the  other  side  of  the  island  in  the  morning. 

We  came  to  anchor  in  the  snug  little  harbor 
of  Xanaimo,  a  town  of  some  eight  hundred  or 
nine  hundred  inhabitants,  mostly  Welsh,  who 
gain  a  livelihood  by  digging  coal.  It  should  be 
said  that  Xanaimo  coal  is  considered  the  best  on 
the  Pacific  coast  for  steaming,  for  Avhich  reason 
it  is  freighted  to  all  points  up  as  high  as  Behring 
Straits,  and  as  far  south  as  San  Diego.  The 
town  is  situated  on  the  eastern  side  of  Van- 
couver's Island,  about  one  hundred  and  forty 
miles  from  Cape  Flattery,  as  we  came,  but 
across  the  island  to  the  mouth  of  the  Straits 
it  is  not  more  than  forty  or  fifty  miles. 

Xanaimo  is  prettily  situated,  with  rising 
wooded  hills  to  the  rear  and  a  number  of  small 
islands  lying  in  front,  one  of  which,  by  its  posi- 
tion and  shape,  forms  a  circular  slip  before  the 
town,  which,  owing  to  the  rise  and  fall  of  the 
tide,  constitutes  a  natural  dry-dock  where  ships 


12  A   TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

may  be  scraped  and  calking  done  in  perfect 
safety.  The  enterprising  Cliinaman  is  here, 
and  a  telegraphic  wire  connects  this  place  with 
Victoria.  In  spite  of  all  advantages,  however, 
the  fact  is,  too  much  rain  falls  here.  The 
spring  is  always  backward,  and  the  harvest  sel- 
dom amounts  to  anything.  It  rains  four  or  five 
times  a  day,  altogether  too  much  when  it  is 
kept  up  the  year  round. 

Coal,  however,  is  in  good  demand,  and  it  is 
said  the  supply  is  insufficient  to  satisfy  the 
wants  of  trade.  The  coal  is  run  down  in  cars 
from  the  mines  to  the  wharf  and  dumped 
through  chutes  on  ship1)oard.  Here  our  steamer 
filled  all  available  space,  fore  and  aft,  giving 
her  the  appearance  of  a  regular  collier.  With 
rain  and  coal  so  mixed  as  we  had  it,  the 
contracted  quarters  on  board  became  smaller 
and  the  neatness  less  conspicuous. 


CHAPTEK  II. 


IT   KAINS. 


/^NE  day  on  shipboard  in  northwestern 
^^  waters  in  spring  or  early  summer  is 
very  much  like  another ;  too  nuicli  so  under 
the  circumstances  and  condition  of  ali'airs  to  be 
pleasant.  Suppose  the  little  "liush,"  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety  tons  burden  starting  out  at 
daybreak,  after  anchoring  all  night  in  conse- 
quence of  thick  weather.  With  a  heavy  rain 
all  nio-ht  and  a  dense  fo"-  to  thicken  the  weather, 
it  would  be  destruction  to  attem})t  to  run 
through  the  darkness.  At  daylight  there  is 
no  improvemeuient  so  far  as  the  weather  is 
concerned,  but  daylight  enables  one  to  see 
land  dimly  once  in  a  while  on  either  hand. 
Sailing  in  the  open  sea  and  cruising  among 
the  Alaskan  islands  or  the  British  Columbia 
archipelago  are  two  entirely  dillcrent  matters. 
One  may  be  prosecuted  at  night  without 
great  risk  other  than  a  collision  with  another 
ship,  but  when  the  mariner  has  islands  to  the 
right  of  him  and   to   the  left  of  him,  as  well 

13 


14  A  TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

as  ahead,  all  enveloped  in  fog  and  mist,  the 
compass  is  a  poor  reliance  without  sharp  eye- 
sifjht  and  a  knowledo;e  of  ambuscaded  reefs 
and  rocks  lying  in  wait  for  the  careless  voy- 
ager.    But  to  the  start. 

At  half  past  two  or  three  or  four  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  our  captain  appears  on  deck 
with  his  calm  good-natured  face  and  clear  blue 
eyes  visible  beneath  the  rim  of  his  sou'-wester. 
He  is  enveloped  from  neck  to  heels  in  an  oil- 
skin "jacket,"  like  an  overgrown  yellow  night- 
shirt. Peeping  out  below  is  a  pair  of  rubber 
boots.  The  rain  runs  down  out  of  the  clouds 
as  if  the  string  opening  a  shower-bath  had  been 
pulled  and  the  supply  of  water  above  was  un- 
limited. The  rain  does  not  seem  to  be  angry ; 
it  is  not  in  a  hurry ;  it  does  not  try  to  be  irrita- 
tins:  or  severe  ;  it  mav  not  be  a  verv  cold  rain. 
It  is  simply  a  rain  running  down  straight  and 
steady  as  if  it  was  an  old  and  every-day  occur- 
rence— no  pretension  nor  airs  —  nothing  but  a 
plain  rain  attending  to  its  regular  dut}^  and 
without  any  feeling  in  the  matter. 

The  captain  removes  his  meerschaum  and  says, 
"  Good  morning,"  as  mildly  and  pleasantly  as 
the  rain  streams  down. 

You  respond  and  say  still  further,  "It's  a 
wet  morning."    The  captain  receives  this  intelli- 


IT  RAINS.  15 

gence  Avithout  any  air  of  surprise,  and  if  he  is 
not  occupied  giving  orders  about  getting  under- 
way, lie  may  remark,  "It  rains  very  easy  in 
this  country." 

Tiiat  's  it  exactly.  Take  it  all  the  way  up  the 
coast  from  San  Francisco  to  the  Straits  of  Fuca, 
from  Victoria  to  Sitka,  from  Sitka  to  the  Seal 
Islands,  and  you  may  generally  tind  it  raining 
about  as  easily  as  it  could  possibly  do  if  care  had 
been  taken  to  make  it  oil  instead  of  water. 

AVe  get  under  way  as  soon  after  daylight  as 
may  be  compatil)le  with  safety  for  the  steamer. 
The  rain  slips  down  unceasingly.  ]Mists  shut 
out  from  view  everything,  unless  on  one  side  or 
the  other  a  bank,  a  shade  darker  than  the  clouds, 
may  be  distinguished  by  trained  qxq^.  It  may 
be  an  island,  a  rock,  or  only  a  bank  of  fog 
thicker  than  the  average  mist.  The  captain, 
the  officer  of  the  deck,  and  tlic  pilot  say  it  is 
land,  and  tell  the  name  of  it.  Against  such  an 
array  of  nautical  opinion  it  would  be  folly  for  a 
landsman  to  contend.  Call  it  land  if  you  will. 
It  looks  very  much  as  if  we  had  land  ahead,  too, 
but  the  engines  are  steadily  working,  and  we 
may  be  making  eight  knots  an  hour.  We  run 
through  the  apparent  land  ahead. 

The  rain  continues  to  slide  down,  l)ut  ever}'- 
thing  goes  on  as  (juietly  and  systematically  on 


16  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

])oard  as  thoufrh  this  Avere  a  \vritinfj:-school. 
The  captain  paddles  around  in  his  long  yellow 
gown  and  softly  stepping  gum  boots  till  five  or 
six  o'clock,  when  he  sees  everything  all  right, 
and  having  his  position  and  bearings  beyond  a 
doubt,  turns  in,  till  breakfast  time.  The  officer 
of  the  deck,  who  is  also  nuisquerading  in  sou'- 
"svester,  oil-skin  and  rubber  boots,  and  the  pilot 
similarly  arrayed,  remain  on  duty  and  receive 
the  rain  which  glides  down  over  the  rims  of 
their  ru])ber  helmets  and  oiled  armor  as  if  it 
had  no  more  purpose  there  than  lightning  on 
an  iron-rod  to  get  down  and  leave  no  mark. 

At  eight  bells  the  officer  of  the  deck  goes 
below,  being  relieved  by  a  In-other  similarly 
arrayed,  who  acts  as  conductor  to  the  rain  for 
the  ensuing  four  hours. 

The  })ilot  is  temporarily  relieved  for  break- 
fast by  the  captain,  after  which  he  returns  to 
the  "  house,"  where  he  smokes  his  cigarette  and 
gazes  out  into  the  fog  ahead,  port  and  starboard, 
till  dinner.  Tie  keeps  this  up  till  supper  time, 
or  till  vcQ.  come  to  an  anchor.  The  officer  of  the 
first  watch  paddles  around  on  the  "  house "' till 
noon,  when  he  is  relieved  by  another  of  his 
style  in  dress  and  manners.  After  breakfast 
the  captain  quietly  appears  on  deck  again,  and 
if  tired  carrying  his  water-proof  around  he  goes 


IT  RAINS.  17 

into  the  pilot  house  and  keeps  a  look  out  there 
all  da}'.  He  knows  the  country  quite  as  well 
as  the  pilot,  and  he  keeps  the  position  of  the 
vessel  strictly. 

Perhaps  1)y  noon,  if  what  is  called  a  fine  day 
among  the  islands,  a  patch  of  hlue  about  as 
'large  as  a  postage-stamp  may  be  seen  overhead, 
but  the  fog  still  presses  low  down  on  the  water 
all  around.  A  little  later  it  rises  in  patches, 
but  even  on  a  very  clear  afternoon,  with  the 
sun  visible  in  the  western  sky,  patches  of  fog 
will  be  found  roosting  in  the  tree  tops  "svhere 
they  remain  all  day,  and  all  night  it  may  be,  for 
at  dark  they  still  hang  around  as  if  loth  to  go 
up  into  the  cold  air  of  the  mountain  summits. 
Yet  do  not  think  that  ])ccause  the  sun  comes 
out  the  rain  is  over.  That  tnakes  no  difference 
Avhatever.  The  rain  goes  on  and  attends  to  its 
business  all  the  same.  With  the  sun  shining  the 
rain  filters  down  by  fits  and  starts  in  a  desultory 
way,  like  a  sprinkling-cart  that  runs  itself  out 
and  then  goes  back  to  the  hydrant  for  anotlior 
supply.  This  is  particularly  tine  weather  for 
this  region. 

When  the  fog  does  rise,  and  the  clouds  l)reak 
away  in  circumscribed  localities,  the  rugged 
mountain  tops  thrust  tliemselves  up  as  if  they 
had   rent  the  sk\-.      On  the   British  Columbian 


18  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

Islands  above  the  Gulf  of  Georuia,  snow- 
covered  peaks  rise  from  one  thousand  to  six 
thousand  feet,  almost  perpendicularly  above 
the  water.  Their  toi)s  are  cov  jred  with  snow, 
but  for  two  or  three  thousand  feet  from  the 
base  they  are  adorned  with  thick-2:ro\vin<>: 
spruce.  A\'ith  mixed  weather  and  scenery  the 
prospect  is  always  charming,  presenting  an 
endless  panorama.  Still,  the  great  feature  of 
the  country  is  water,  a])ove  and  below. 

On  the  day  of  our  departure  from  Xanaimo, 
we  sail  through  fog  and  mist  and  rain,  up  to 
the  head  of  the  Gulf  of  Georgia,  and  thence 
into  Discovery  Passage.  About  six  miles  from 
the  entrance  to  Discovery  Passage  Ave  come  by 
a  short  turn  to  Soj^mour's  Narrows.  Here 
the  tide  is  forced  through  a  narrow,  winding 
channel  at  from  four  to  six  knots  an  hour. 
There  are  foaming  swirls  over  the  face  of  the 
rocks,  and  great  eddies  caused  by  meeting  cur- 
rents. The  Narrows  are  not  more  than  a  pistol 
shot  across,  and  a  deviation  of  a  (piarter  of  a 
point  from  the  true  channel  sends  a  ship  to  de- 
struction. Here  the  contending  currents  take  a 
vessel  l)y  the  nose  and  swing  her  from  port  to 
starl)oard,  and  from  star))()ar(l  to  ])()rt,  as  a 
terrier  shakes  a  rat.  It  may  ])e  doubted  if  the 
Argonaut ic  ex})edition  ex})erienced  greater  ])erils 


IT  RAINS.  19 

than  are  to  be  met  in  Seymour  Xarrows,  at  the 
mouth  of  which  the  bones  of  the  United  States 
ship  Saranac  lie  bleaching  fathoms  down. 

Having  safely  made  our  exit  from  the  Xar- 
rows, we  continue  on  through  smooth  waters, 
with  comparatively  easy  curves,  till  we  reach 
Johnstone  Straits,  when  once  more  we  go 
winding  away  among  pretty  coves,  and  at  the 
foot  of  high  mountains,  covered  with  an  inex- 
haustible crop  of  firs  and  spruce  which,  high 
up,  look  like  green  velvet ;  ])ut  the  sailing  is 
safe,  for  a  hundred  fathoms  of  line  will  not 
permit  the  lead  to  touch  bottom  here.  It  has 
the  appearance  of  a  ])road,  smooth  river,  wind- 
ing its  way  sleepily  between  high  mountains 
and  steep,  rocky  cliffs. 

The  canoes,  or  ''  duo-out s,"  in  the  north- 
western  Avaters  are  as  large,  sometimes  as 
graceful  and  possil^ly  swifter,  than  Cleopatra's 
barge.  The  natives  travel  in  them  for  weeks 
up  and  down  these  inland  seas  and  salty  cur- 
rents to  trading  posts,  carrying  their  furs  for 
))arter.  They  take  their  families  at  times,  as  a 
Pennsylvania  farmer  takes  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ters and  stalwart  sons  in  his  Conestoga  wagon 
to  York  or  Keading. 

These  canoe  cruisers  paddle  or  :^ail  ad  day 
with  the  tide,  and  go  into  eamp  wherever  they 


20  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

please,  resuming  their  journey  on  the  next 
flood.  They  fish  as  they  go,  and  find  fresh 
water  running  down  the  mountain  sides  from 
the  snow  reservoirs  al)()ve.  AVhat  ponies  and 
the  trails  of  the  mountains  and  valleys  are  to 
the  Indians  of  the  Plains,  canoes  and  inland 
passages  among  the  islands  are  to  the  natives  of 
British  Columbia  and  xllaska. 

One  evening,  just  after  the  "Kush"  turned  a 
short  l)end  in  Johnstone  Straits,  a  large  canoe 
was  sighted  off  the  port  l)ow.  She  was  moving 
slowly  along  and  contained  several  persons. 
As  the  wind  was  pretty  still',  and  the  set  of  the 
tide  uncertain,  the  captain  told  "oNIike,"  our 
pilot,  that  he  might  bear  u})  a  trifle  so  as  to 
speak  the  canoe.  As  soon  as  the  movement 
became  apparent  to  the  natives,  all  hands  l)egan 
to  paddle  with  collegiate  energy,  and  the  "dug- 
out" spurted  for  shore  as  if  with  a  determina- 
tion to  scramble  to  the  to])  of  the  mountain. 
"  ]\rike,''  wlio  was  long  since  a  trader  in  these 
waters,  at  once  asserted  with  all  confldence  that 
the  canoe  had  whiskey  aboard,  and  as  whiskey 
is  contraband  among  the  Indians  of  British 
(yolumbia,  the  paddlers  were  fleeing  to  avoid 
confiscation.  x\s  the  "Hush  "had  no  jurisdiction 
in  British  wnters  there  was  no  eflbrt  to  overhaul 
tlic   "  dno--()ut.""   and    as    soon    as    its   occupants 


IT  RAINS.  21 

found  the  chase  abandoned,  they  rested  their 
paddles  and  Avaved  farewell  salutes  with  their 
hats.  Occasionally,  as  often  as  a  dozen  times 
in  a  hundred  miles,  smoke  may  be  seen  rising 
from  amono-  the  trees  in  British  Columbia  alons; 
the  inland  passage.  Solitary  cabins  of  such 
white  men  as  take  Indian  wives  and  who  are 
content  to  live  by  hunting  and  fishing,  occur  at 
unfrequent  intervals,  and  still  farther  apart  are 
Indian  villao'es  of  wooden  houses.  Game  is 
said  to  be  abundant  in  the  hills,  and  hsh  are 
plentiful  in  the  waters.  With  canoes  for  trans- 
portation and  guns  and  fishing  tackle  to  secure 
the  necessaries  of  life,  these  people  subsist  in 
contentment.  The  cold  is  not  severe,  and  the 
natural  dampness  produced  by  continuous  rain 
is  put  up  with  as  a  blessing  from  the  clouds. 


CHAPTER  III. 

FOLLOWING  Vancouver's  wake. 

QUEEN  CHARLOTTE'S  SOUND,  which 
we  cross  on  the  way  to  Sitka,  is  a  dan- 
gerous place.  Here,  in  our  very  course,  in 
1794,  A'ancouver  got  tlie  Discovery,  his  flag- 
ship, upon  the  rocks  one  day,  and  had  no 
sooner,  by  the  rising  of  the  tide,  floated  her 
again,  than  the  Chatham,  lier  consort,  went 
upon  another  reef  farther  seaward.  After  a 
(Uiy  and  a  night  of  severe  la]x)r,  the  Chatham 
was  reh>ased,  having  sustained  l)ut  compara- 
tively little  damage. 

Our  own  ships  in  later  days  have  not  always 
been  so  fortunate.  The  Suwanee,  doul)lo-ender, 
went  to  pieces  here  in  18G8,  though  all  on 
board  Avere  saved.  But  in  1873  the  steamer 
George  S.  W  right  struck  on  some  rocks  here, 
as  is  supposed  from  portions  of  wreck  which 
were  found  scattered  among  the  islands,  and  all 
on  board  were  lost.  She  was  ))0un(l  from  Sitka 
for  San  Francisco,  and  is  su))})osed  to  have 
struck  during  a  snow  storm.  Some  bodies 
22 


FOLLOWING    VANCOUVER- S    WAKE.  23 

were  found  cast  ashore  with  life  preservers  on, 
the  wearers  having  evidently  perished  in  the 
water. 

Al)out  four  years  later,  a  Sound  Indian 
turned  up  wlio  represented  that  he  Avas  the  sole 
survivor  of  the  Wrio-ht  disaster.  His  storv  was 
to  the  effect  that  he  had  l)een  a  coal-heaver  on 
hoard  the  lost  steamer,  and  after  she  struck  he 
oot  into  a  boat  along  with  the  cai)tain,  pilot, 
and  some  soldiers.  They  made  land  and  built 
a  fire,  soon  after  which  a  party  of  Indians  ap- 
peared and  were  offered  five  hundred  dollars  by 
the  captain  to  take  the  castawa}'s  to  Fort  Rupert, 
about  twenty-five  miles  to  the  southward.  The 
sole  survivor  went  on  to  relate  that  though  the 
Indians  appeared,  for  a  time,  to  entertain  the 
proposition  favorably,  they  finally  concluded  to 
kill  the  whites,  which  detcnniuation  was  carried 
into  execution.  This  alleged  sole  survivor 
gave  as  a  reason  for  not  telling  his  story  before, 
that  the  murderers  threatened  to  kill  his  father 
if  he  told  anything  about  it,  but  his  conscience 
finally  impelled  him  to  make  the  i-evelation. 
It  was  a  good  story  and  it  found  many  believ- 
ers. The  accused  Indians  were  arrested  hy  the 
British  authorities,  and  were  in  a  fair  way  to  be 
hanged.  v\-hen  it  was  proven  beyond  question 
that   the    allecred   sole    survivor   was    srrviu'j   a 


24  A    TRIP    TO  ALASKA. 

term  in  the  Victoria  jail  at  the  time  of  the 
AVriofht  disaster.  His  motive  for  iiiventino:  the 
charge  against  the  accused  was  revenge. 

Crossing  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound  we  enter 
Fitzhugh's  Sound,  after  passing  up  which 
about  a  mile  we  come  upon  another  interesting 
locality,  Safety  Cove,  where  Vancouver  an- 
chored his  ships  for  a  few  days'  rest  and  repair, 
after  months  of  hardships  and  dangers.  Safety 
Cove  is  about  an  eighth  of  a  mile  across  at  the 
mouth,  and,  maintaining  nearly  an  equal  width 
all  the  way,  extends  l)ack  into  the  mountains 
for  a  mile.  The  hills  on  either  side  rise  precip- 
itously to  the  height  of  at  least  a  thousand  feet, 
covered  with  a  growth  of  spruce,  pine,  and 
cedar  that  is  almost  impenetrable.  A})out  two- 
thirds  of  the  distance  u})  the  Cove,  on  the  north 
side,  a  stream  of  Avater  tumbles  down  the  bank 
so  conveniently  thnt  the  breakers  in  the  ship's 
boats  mav  be  filled  without  the  men  jroinn; 
ashore.  It  is  pure,  ice-cold  water  from  the  top 
of  the  snowy  mountain.  At  the  head  of  this 
cove  a  large  stream  puts  in  from  a  low  opening. 
The  Cove  is  as  smooth  and  bright  on  the  surface 
as  a  mirror,  and  with  the  framework  of  dark 
green  surrounding  it  and  the  "  Rush  "  riding  in 
the  centre,  the  only  sign  of  civilization  in  this 
provincial  wilderness,  a  lovelier  picture  could  not 


FOLLOWING    VANCOUVER'S   WAKE.  25 

be  conjured  by  the  liveliest  imagination.  The 
sun,  which  did  not  set  till  eight  o'clock,  could 
not  be  seen  in  the  Cove,  l)ut  down  across  Fitz- 
hugh's  Sound  he  glanced  his  last  rays  from  the 
summits  of  snow-capped  mountains,  throwing 
pink  upon  the  snovv  and  purple  and  crimson 
shades  among  the  brown  and  dark  green  of  hill 
and  vale  in  richest  profusion. 

The  men  not  on  duty  caught  a  plentiful 
supply  of  flounders  here.  xVmong  other  hands 
on  board  the  "Rush"  were  some  Japanese  boys, 
two  of  whom  were  employed  in  the  ward  room 
and  one  in  the  cabin.  The  captain's  boy  was 
the  first  to  haul  up  a  wonderfid  tisli  or  reptile 
with  s})otted  skin,  long  tapering  tail,  and  a  full 
set  of  teeth  like  a  section  of  an  ivory  comb. 
The  tish,  which  liad  no  scales,  was  provided 
with  openings  for  gills  under  the  })ectoral  tins. 
On  the  head  was  a  curved  sort  of  horn  or  clamp 
on  a  hinge,  the  outer  end  of  which,  concave  and 
armed  with  sharp  teeth  or  points,  rested  in  a 
socket.  As  the  cabin  boy  raised  this  horn  to 
examine  the  curiosity,  it  took  the  end  ofl'  his 
tinger,  and  he  prosecuted  his  scientific  investi- 
gations no  further. 

The  doctor  could  not  identify  this  strange 
fish,  which  would  weigh  al)out  four  pounds, 
his  authorities   on  ichthyology  being    silent  on 


26  A   Tliir   TO  ALASKA. 

the  subject,  but  "Mike"  saj's  they  are  called 
"  rat  fish  "  a  name  that  would  appear  to  be  ap- 
phed  ill  consequence  of  the  peculiar  formation 
of  tail  and  teeth.  The  fish  had  prominent  eyes, 
ofcnerallv  dark  blue,  but  in  some  shades  of  lioht 
a  brilliant  green. 

At  intervals  all  through  these  inland  waters 
may  be  seen  Indian  burial  places,  if ''l)urial  "  is 
a  pro})er  word  to  use  in  this  connection.  The 
Indians  of  British  Columbia  are  cremators, 
and  the  places  where  the  ashes  of  their  dead  are 
deposited  are  remarkable  for  the  care  Avith 
which  they  are  preserved  and  decorated.  Indian 
sepulchres  may  be  seen,  sometimes  one  or  two 
in  a  place,  on  a  prominent  headland,  marked 
with  circular  l)oards  or  with  cloth  stretched  on 
hoops,  looking  at  the  distance  of  a  thousand 
yards,  like  targets.  A  flag  is  occasionally  set 
near  by  as  if  still  more  strongly  to  attract 
attention. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  burial  places  in 
British  Columbia,  on  this  route,  is  in  Mc- 
Laughlin's Bay  at  a  Hudson  Bay  trading  port 
called  Bella  Bella.  Here  the  houses  which  con- 
tain the  saci'cd  ashes  of  the  dead  are  numerous, 
and  about  half  a  dozen  spots  are  marked  and 
decorated  as  the  tombs  of  chiefs.  ^Mien  we 
passed  that  point  on   the  morning  after  leaving 


FOLLOWING    VAXCOUVER'S    WAKE.  2i 

Safety  Cove,  flags  were  flying  in  the  cemetery 
as  it"  it  were  Memorial  Day,  and  it  is  said  tlitit 
these  decorations  are  renewed  as  often  as  carried 
away  or  destroyed  by  tlie  elements.  There  is  also 
quite  an  extensive  Indian  village  at  Bella  Bella. 

Game  would  appear  to  be  scarce  hereabouts, 
l)ut  it  must  exist  somewhere  in  the  hills,  for 
deer  skins  are  sent  out  on  steamers  and  trading 
vessels.  From  the  deck  of  the  steamer  the 
timber  on  all  sides  of  the  islands,  as  at  Safety 
Cove,  appears  too  dense  to  ofler  good  range  for 
deer,  yet  venison  is  found  in  places.  After 
ofettini":  in  amonij  the  thousands  of  islands 
between  Victoria  and  this  point  we  have  seen 
but  few  birds  or  iish.  A  fln  ])ack  whale 
preceded  us  into  Seymours  Narrows,  as  if 
cunningly  enticing  us  to  our  destruction,  dis- 
appearing as  soon  as  we  were  so  far  advanced 
as  to  make  return  or  backout  impossible,  and 
on  the  day  after  a  shark  skimmed  the  surface 
contentedly  along  side,  but  animal  life  abo\'e 
the  surface  of  the  waters  is  not  plentiful. 

In  August  1792,  Vancouver  wrote  of  a  point 
on  the  mainland  in  latitude  fifty-two  degrees, 
three  minutes  as  follows  :  — 

"This  rendezvous  was  about  thii'ty-seven  miles  from 
the  station  of  the  vessels  (Safety  Covej  in  as  desolate, 
inhospitable  a  country  as  the  most  melancholy  creature 


28  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

could  be  desli'ous  of  inhabiting.  The  eagle,  ci*ow,  and 
raven  that  occasionally  had  borne  us  company  in  our 
lonely  researches  visited  not  these  dreary  shores.  The 
common  shell  fish,  such  as  muscles,  clams,  and  cockles, 
and  the  nettle,  samphire  and  other  coarse  vegetables 
that  had  been  so  highly  essential  to  our  health  and 
maintenance  in  all  our  former  excursions,  were  scarcely 
found  to  exist  here;  and  the  ruins  of  one  miserable  hut, 
near  where  we  had  lodged  the  preceding  night,  was  the 
only  indication  we  saw  that  human  beings  ever  re- 
sorted to  the  country  before  us." 

The  chief  attractions  of  the  latter  portion  of 
our  run  one  day  were  among  mountains  rising 
al)ruptlj  from  one  to  four  thousand  feet  in 
lieight,  down  which  rusli  roaring  cataracts  from 
the  melting  snows  al)ove.  INIany  of  these 
streams  fall  down  the  faces  of  ruiri^ed  CTanite 
cliffs  Avhich  cut  the  water  into  fine  spray  and 
mist.  In  others  the  water  spreads  out  in  a 
thin,  smooth  sheet  like  a  broad  rib])on  of  white 
satin.  Again  it  appears  as  spun  glass  of  the 
finest  quality.  Frequently  a  foaming  torrent 
tumbles  over  among  huge  boulders  at  the 
mouths  of  canons  so  low  in  grade  as  to  afford 
a  chance  for  salmon  to  ascend.  In  such  places 
fishing  may  be  prosecuted  in  season  with  satis- 
factory results.  The  sides  of  the  mountains  in 
many  places  show  deep  scars,  bearing  silent 
testimony  to  past  land  slides,  Avhich,  for  thou- 


FOLLOWING    VAXCOlVEK'>i    WAKE.  29 

sands  of  feet  in  length  and  hundreds  of  yards  in 
breadth,  increasing  in  width  as  they  descended, 
had  swept  down  the  forests  and  stripped  the 
thin  soil  from  the  rocks  which  now  stand  out 
like  fleshless  bones. 

For  purely  artistic  beauty,  however,  Gran- 
ville channel  exceeds  anything  yet  seen  on  this 
cruise  among  the  untamed  beauties  of  nature  on 
land  and  water.  Imagine  an  avenue  of  clear, 
calm  water,  straight  as  a  transit  road  live  miles 
in  length,  a  (juarter  of  a  mile  across  at  the  eastern 
end  and  running  down  to  a  tapering  point  closed 
up  completely  and  thoroughly,  as  it  appears  by 
a  bold  mountain  two  thousand  feet  in  height. 
The  mountains  on  either  side  are  e(]ually  high, 
all  making  sharp  lines,  green,  low  down  with 
spruces,  which  also  ap})ear,  but  scatteringly,  on 
the  snow-crowned  summits.  The  regularity  of 
the  channel  so  far  as  it  is  in  sight,  the  varied 
lines  of  the  mountains  and  the  unhroken  still- 
ness, except  the  regular  thuniping  of  the 
steamer's  engines,  altogether  form  an  enchant- 
ing scene.  Of  course  when  we  get  to  the 
mountain  at  the  western  terminus,  which  we 
do  as  daylight  gives  way  to  darkness,  there  is  a 
passage  out,  and  at  a  quarter  })ast  nine  P.  M. 
we  anchor  in  seventeen  fathoms  for  the  night, 
in  Lowe's  Inlet,  and  go  to  sleep  to  the  droning 


80  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA.   • 

sound  of  the  cataract  on  shore,  into  which  an 
arrow  might  be  shot  from  the  deck  of  the 
steamer. 

On  the  next  morning  we  obtain  our  first 
view  of  Alaska,  Cape  Fox  being  visibk^  for  a 
short  time.  In  tlie  afternoon  we  let  go  anchor 
at  Port  Simpson,  still  in  British  Columbia. 

Of  the  character  of  the  country  through  which 
we  had  been  passing  for  a  week,  no  i)erson  can 
form  any  conce})lion  from  ordinary  maps.  AVe 
had  been  spending  days  and  travelling  hundreds 
of  miles  among  islands  innumerable,  and  chan- 
nels in  every  direction,  narrow  sometimes,  so 
that  a  pistol  ball  might  be  fired  across,  and  yet 
hundreds  of  fathoms  in  depth.  There  arc  thou- 
sands of  passages  into  which  we  do  uoi  enter, 
because  our  object  is  to  i)ursue  the  most  direct 
course  through  the  country,  and,  doubtless, 
many  of  them  have  been  only  su})erlicially  sur- 
veyed. Their  number  and  magnitude  in  some 
cases,  as  the  Straits  of  Fuca,  Gult"  of  Georgia, 
Queen  Charlotte's  Sound  and  others,  are  won- 
derful. It  seems  as  if  the  Almighty  had  here 
shattered  the  mountains  with  an  ()nmi})()tent 
sledge  for  a  thousand  miles  and  turned  the 
waters  of  the  sea  to  flow  among  the  fragments. 
It  is  a  wonderful  country  to  look  at,  and  if 
situated  so  as  to  l)e  a\ailable  f"or  Sunday  excur- 


FOLLOWING    VANCOUVER'^   WAKE.  31 

sioiis  from  ;i  i>rcat  city  or  a  iiunihcr  of  great 
cities,  it  miglit  he  put  to  some  profitable  use. 
For  any  other  purpose  it  has  very  few,  if  any 
recommendations  at  present.  The  timber  grows 
on  a  thin,  skinny  soil  at  best,  and  often  only 
holds  on  by  roots  in  crevices  of  the  rocks.  The 
climate  is  wet,  cold,  and  cheerless,  and  vegeta- 
tion, though  it  may  grow,  docs  not  mature. 
Even  the  greater  portion  of  the  timber  seems  to 
die  young.  The  country  has  attractions  for  the 
artist  and  })ossil)ly  for  the  scientist,  l)ut  it  will 
probably  remain  in  possession  of  the  Indians 
for  many  generations,  if  not  for  all  time.  Jus- 
tice would  now  seem  to  require  that  the  rndians 
should  be  pernu'tted  to  remain  in  undisturbed 
possession  of  these  islands  of  lU-itish  Columbia. 
Of  course,  if  valnablo  mineral  or  other  products 
should  be  discovered  here  that  would  be  quite  a 
different  thing. 

Port  Siin})son  is  a  Hudson  Bay  trading  post 
where  steamers  plying  between  A'ictoria  and 
\Vrangel  or  Sitka  sometimes  touch.  There  is 
no  post-ofhce  lun'e,  and  letters  are  only  for- 
warded as  unc(>rtain  opportunities  |)erinit.  It 
is  like  many  another  settlement  which  we  have 
seen  during  the  ])ast  week.  One  of"  the  most 
remarkable  of"  those  is  Duncan's  ^Mission  at 
Afctlahcatlah  in  Ohathanfs  Sound,  about  fifteen 
miles  from  l*(>rt  Simpson. 


32  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

In  1858  Duncan  was  sent  to  Port  Simpson  as 
a  missionary,  and  soon  afterward,  having  some 
disagreement  with  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's 
agent  at  that  phice,  he  moved  down  to  Methih- 
cathdi,  intending  to  take  all  of  the  Indians  with 
him,  but  the  company  brought  Rev.  ]Mr. 
Crosby  out  and  saved  about  half  of  them. 
Duncan,  however,  built  up  a  settlement  and 
prospered  in  more  ways  than  one.  He  has  a 
snug  town  in  which  there  is  a  church,  a  semi- 
nary, a  jail,  and  a  great  many  adjuncts  of 
civilization,  if  not  all  the  modern  improvements. 
He  is  a  magistrate,  and  has  Indian  constables  to 
execute  his  warrants  and  enforce  his  decrees. 
He  will  not  tolerate  whiskey  or  outside  tradeivs 
within  his  jurisdiction,  but  does  some  outside 
trading  himself.  It  is  reported  that  he  gets  the 
better  of  Uncle  Sam  to  the  extent  of  twenty 
thousand  dollars  or  thirt}'  thousand  dollars  a 
year  l)y  sending  his  Indians  with  goods  up  some 
of  the  inland  passages  to  trade  with  the  Alaskan 
natives,  by  which  snniggliug  our  revenues  are 
made  to  suffer.  At  all  events,  whether  true  or 
false,  Duncan  has  the  reputation  of  being  a 
prosperous  and  successful  missionary. 

"Mike,"  our  pilot,  attempted  to  land  some 
whiskey  at  ]\Ietlahcatlali  some  years  ago,  before 
he  experienced  a  change,  but  he  says  Duncan's 


FOLLOWING    VANCOUVER' b    WAKE.  33 

police  ran  him  out.  Possibly  if  he  could  have 
2jot  ashore  there  ^vith  enoui>li  whiskev  to  run 
the  place  for  tln-ee  days,  the  mission  might 
have  been  wiped  out  and  Duncan  would  have 
been,  before  this,  seeking  proselytes  among 
nations  further  removed  from  tlie  retiniug  intlii- 
ence  of  civilization,  or  in  some  secret  nook 
unknown  to  the  alcoholic  corsair  of  the  western 
isles.  As  it  is,  both  ''Mike"  and  Duncan  are 
now  good  citizens,  and  if  the  missionary  is  the 
richer  in  this  world's  goods  the  pilot  is  an 
inexhaustible  mine  of  interesting  reminiscences 
of  contraband  cruisings  before  he  experienced  a 
change. 

Port  Simpson  \vas  established  by  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company  in  182!),  and  has  seen  many  wars 
with  the  native  tribes,  but  it  still  lives  —  an 
important  post  of  the  company.  It  is  now^  a 
general  rendezvous  for  various  tribes,  but  is 
located  on  the  lands  of  the  Tongass.  The 
objects  of  greatest  interest  here  at  the  present 
time  are  "potlatch"  poles,  which  average  about 
twenty  feet  in  height,  and  arc  carved  near  the 
base  in  grotesque  figures  of  monsters  bearing 
cohunns  upon  their  heads.  Some  of  the  col- 
umns have  the  tigurcs  of  Ijcasts  set  vertically 
on  top,  but  the  prevailing  idea  is  of  monstrous 
faces  carved  bclo\v.     These  have  an  idolatrous 


34  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

air  about  them,  and  are  not  in  favor  with  Mr. 
Crosby,  the  missionary,  who  is  having  them 
removed  as  fast  as  possible.  In  a  short  time 
they  \vill  all  have  disappeared  and  carried  with 
them  whatever  of  traditional  meaning  they  may 
have  for  the  Aborigines,  who  will  also  disappear 
in  a  few  generations,  or  would  under  American 
influences.  It  is  the  policy  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company,  however,  to  preserve  the  Indian,  for 
on  his  labors  that  corporation  thrives. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CANOES  AND  CARVED  POLES. 

'T^HE  first  anchorage  made  ])y  the  "Rush"  in 
-*-  Alaskan  waters,  on  this  cruise,  was  in 
Karta  or  Kassan  Bay,  before  the  vilhige  of  the 
Indian  Chief  Scowl,  on  Prince  of  Wales  Island. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  Indian  vil- 
lages on  this  coast  for  several  reasons,  most 
prominent  of  which  are  that  Scowl  is  chief  of 
all  tlie  Ilyda  Indians,  headquarters  of  the  tribe 
being  on  Prince  of  Wales,  and  his  village  con- 
tains the  most  extensive  and  elaborately  carved 
poles,  of  which  brief  mention  was  made  in  the 
preceding  chapter. 

Old  Scowl  is  now  totally  l)lind  and  nearly 
deaf,  but  he  appears  to  l)e  the  remains  of  a  once 
physically  powerful  man,  and  he  long  wielded 
unquestioned  authority  in  his  widely  extended 
tribe.  The  Ilydas  are  great  hunters  and  fishers, 
and  at  the  time  of  our  visit  the  chief  village 
was  almost  deserted,  the  inhabitants  l)eing 
away  seal  hunting  out  Ijeyond  Queen  Cliarlotte's 
Island. 

35 


36  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

These  Indians  of  the  Northwest  coast  differ 
as  much  in  appearance  as  in  customs  from  those 
of  the  plains.  The  l)uftalo  eaters  Jire  a  hardy 
race  of  strong,  muscuhir  men,  with  the  piercing 
eyes,  high  clieek-bones,  and  aquiline  noses  of  a 
Avarlike  people.  The  Hydas,  Tsimpsiens,  Ton- 
gass,  and  others  of  this  region,  from  Puget 
Sound  to  Sitka,  have  round,  fat  faces  with  dull 
expression,  indicative  of  anything  ])ut  bravery 
and  ambition.  The  Sioux  live  principally  on 
buft'alo  meat,  and  take  an  abundance  of  rough 
exercise  on  horseback  over  mountain  and  plain. 
The  Ilydas  and  their  kind  paddle  or  drift 
around  with  the  tides  in  canoes,  live  on  fish, 
and  become  oily  and  lazy  looking.  The  habits 
and  diet  of  both  classes  reveal  themselves  in 
form  and  face,  the  meat  caters  being  tall  and 
lean,  as  a  rule,  the  tish  eaters  fat  and  squatty. 

The  canoe  is  the  sole  means  of  locomotion 
here.  All  the  ■"' trails"  arc  by  water,  and  the 
canoes  of  this  people  are  wonderful  sj)ecimens 
of  savage  naval  architecture.  The  Ilydas  make 
the  best  and  largest  canoes  in  this  section  of  the 
coast.  At  Port  Simpson  '"dug-outs,"  from 
forty  to  fifty  feet  in  length,  are  (juite  common, 
and  some  are  nnich  longer.  One  taken  to  the 
C(Mitennial  was  eighty  feet  in  length  and  so 
dee])  that  men  sitting  in  it  were  concealed  from 


CANOES  AND   (JAHVEl)  PULES.  37 

view  up  to  their  shoulders.  The  canoes  are 
duij:  and  burned  out,  each  beini;  constructed  of 
a  cedar  log,  which,  after  the  excavation,  is 
spread  open  till  thoroughly  dried  in  that  posi- 
tion. They  are  all  constructed  on  one  model, 
being  a  simple  curve  at  the  stern,  the  prow 
sticking  sharply  from  the  Avater  and  projecting 
upward  and  outward  in  a  graceful  form,  after 
the  style  of  ancient  Koman  and  Grecian  war 
galleys  as  we  see  them  pictured  in  books. 

With  ten,  fifteen,  twenty  or  forty  paddles  on 
a  side  (the  Centennial  canoe  carried  the  latter 
numl)er  when  fully  manned),  these  "dug-outs" 
are  propelled  through  the  water  at  a  rate  e(|ual 
to  two  miles  for  any  ship  boat's  one.  Port 
Simpson  is  headquarters  for  the  canoe  trade, 
whole  fleets  bein<>-  brouo-ht  in  at  times  for  sale 
as  at  fairs  or  markets  in  great  commercial  cities. 
At  times  a  fleet  of  new  '^ dug-outs"  go  paddling 
into  the  harbor  where  they  are  to  be  sold,  in 
the  form  of  a  great  crescent  within  the  bay,  and 
arc  brought  to  the  beach  amid  chanting  and 
shouting  and  general  demonstrations,  intended 
to  give  importance  to  the  occasion. 

These  sales  attract  Indians  from  the  surround- 
ing country  to  Port  Simpson  where  considerable 
property  changes  hands  in  consequence,  some 
canoes  sellimr  as  lii<rli  as  $100  in  blankets  and 


■)   i 


38  A    TIUP   TO  ALASKA. 

other  commodities.  They  represent  a  vast 
amount  of  patient  hibor,  and  skill,  to  a  certain 
extent.  The}' are  swift,  graceful,  and  buoyant, 
but  are  liable  to  split  by  the  force  of  a  blow  or 
under  a  severe  strain. 

A  few  years  ago,  Mr.  Williamson,  who  Avas 
at  that  time  agent  for  the  Hudson  Vixxy  Com- 
pany, at  Port  Simpson,  went  over  to  Queen 
Charlotte's  Island,  about  forty  miles  distant, 
making  the  outward  voyage  in  safety.  In 
returning,  however,  he  experienced  heavy 
weather.  Ilis  crew  consisted  of  live  Indians, 
and  Avhen  about  ten  miles  out  they  turned  and 
attempted  to  go  back  to  the  island.  The  sea 
became  rougher  with  each  blast  of  the  gale,  and 
finally,  growing  desi)erate,  the  voyagers  hoisted 
sail  and  concluded  to  try  to  run  in  as  soon  as 
possible,  delay  seeming  to  make  their  situation 
more  perilous  each  instant.*  AVhile  thus  l)uilet- 
ing  the  waves  the  canoe  split  from  stem  to 
stern,  and,  of  course,  all  of  its  occupants  were 
thrown  into  the  sea. 

Even  under  these  circumstances,  Avhile  being 
buffeted  ])y  tremendous  ])illows,  the  Indiar.s 
succeeded  in  passing  some  kelp  cordage  around 
the  wreck,  and  thus  formed  a  raft  which  held 
all  up.  The  cold,  howev(n-,  was  so  severe, 
with  the  drenching  water,  that  Mr.  AVilliamson 


CANOES  AND   CARVED  POLES.  39 

soon  succumbed,  and  laying  off  his  hat,  offered 
a  sliort  prayer  and  slid  into  the  sea.  One  by 
one  the  crew  departed  in  a  similar  manner,  ex- 
cept a  solitary  Indian,  who,  after  four  days, 
reached  shore  in  a  famishing  condition. 

Yet  the  Indians  on  the  coast  venture  out 
thirty  to  forty  miles  from  land  in  their  canoes 
when  hunting  the  fur  seal,  ^vhich,  when  travel- 
ing north,  keeps  well  out  to  sea. 

At  Karta,  "potlatch"  poles  from  a  foot  to 
four  feet  in  diameter  at  the  Imse,  and  from  fif- 
teen to  sixty  and  even  seventy-five  feet  in 
height,  have  been  erected  to  commemorate  one 
or  another  important  event  in  the  history  of  a 
family.  At  Port  Simpson  a  pole  with  a  carved 
figure  of  a  wolf,  life  size,  on  top  and  a  veritable 
gun  strapped  near  the  effigy,  was  erected  in 
memory  of  a  hunter  who  perished  while  in  the 
mountains  on  one  of  his  expeditions,  during  a 
severe  snow-storm.  Other  poles  commemorate 
similar  events  ;  but  the  greater  number  represent 
quite  another  sort  of  affair  which  I  l)elieve  is 
peculiar  to  the  Indians  of  this  coast. 

It  is,  or  was,  the  custom  among  the  Ilydas, 
on  the  occasion  of  the  erection  of  a  new  house, 
and  all  here,  as  at  Port  Simpson,  live  in  Avooden 
l)uihlings,  to  give  what  might  be  caHed  a  '"warm- 
ing."     Upon    taking   possession    of    the    new 


40  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

premises  the  proprietor  celebrates  tlie  event  by 
a  "potlatch"  feast  (Ciiinock  Avord  for  gift),  and 
a  carved  pole  is  erected  to  mark  the  event. 
One  of  the  greatest  things  a  Ilyda  can  do  is  to 
give  away  more  than  his  neighbors.  The  gifts 
consist  principally  of  bhmkets,  which  are  dis- 
tributed by  the  hundred  when  they  can  be  ob- 
tained, and  it  is  not  unconnnon  for  these  Indians 
to  bestow  all  of  their  worldly  goods  in  that 
manner,  leaving  them  poor  forever  afterward. 
For  carving  the  poles  twenty,  thirty,  and  as 
high  as  fifty  blankets,  worth  about  two  dollars 
each,  have  been  paid. 

Kanlv  and  title  among  these  Indians  descend 
not  in  a  line  from  father  to  son,  l)ut  from  uncle 
to  nephew,  a  system  of  nepotism  calculated  to 
secure  rotation  in  office.  In  order  that  a 
nephew  may  succeed  to  the  honors  and  dignities 
of  the  mother's  brother  he  must,  on  taking  his 
place  at  the  head  of  the  tril)e,  or  family,  dis- 
tribute or  pay  to  his  uncle's  surviving  i-elatives 
goods  of  a  value  equal  to  those  given  on  the 
occasion  of  the  erection  of  the  family  tree. 
Any  young  man  of  spirit  M'oidd  naturally  be 
urged  and  stimulated  for  the  accomplishment  of 
this  purpose  to  put  forth  every  exertion  to  ob- 
tain the  amount  of  Aveallh  necessary  to  secure 
his  title.     And  this  has  led,  in  late  vears,  to  the 


VANOES  AND  CARVED  I'OLEH.  41 

adoption  of  means,  not  creditable  to  the  Hydu 
man  nor  elcvutini>-  to  the  woman  over  whom  he 
exercised  complete  control.  It  was  with  a  view 
of  putting  a  stop  to  these  demoralizing  prac- 
tices that  the  missionaries  have  discouraged  the 
erection  and  preservation  of  the  "potlatch" 
poles.  If  the  heir  apparent  fails  to  distril)ute  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  goods  to  entitle  him  to 
take  rank  as  the  head  of  the  family,  some  other 
member,  more  successful,  or  more  ambitious, 
may  produce  the  l)lankets  and  walk  off  with 
the  honors. 

At  Port  Simpson  and  at  INIctlahcatlah  tlie 
missionaries  have  effected  encouraging  results 
and  achieved  considerable  success  among  the 
Indians,  but  old  Scowl,  chief  of  the  llydas, 
frowns  down  all  preachers  ^vho  approach  his 
possessions.  Two  preachers  attem[)ted  to  make 
a  beginning  among  the  IlN-das  a  few  years  ago, 
but  they  were  })olitcly  informed  that  if  they  did 
not  go  away  they  would  be  killed.  They  did 
not  remain.  Consequently  ScowTs  people  not 
only  retain  their  ""potlatch"  })()les,  but  they 
enjoy  some  other  privileges  which  no  conscien- 
tious missionary  could  approve,  and  at  least  one 
of  which  is  not  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of 
our  laws  since  the  war. 

The    Ilydas    own    slaves,    and    have    owned 


42  A    Tliir   TO  Al.A^KA. 

them  since  the  memory  of  man  runneth  not  to 
the  contrary.  The  original  stock  of  shives 
generally  consisted  of  children  captured  in  war- 
fare, "whose  })osterity  remained  in  a  condition 
of  bondage.  Slaves  have  been  sold  Ijy  these 
more  northern  tribes  to  the  Indians  of  Puget 
Sound,  and  the  power  over  such  chattels  has 
been  so  complete  that  they  have  been  killed  out 
of  com})liment  to  or  regard  for  a  dying  master, 
and  the  women  have  l)cen  leased  out  for  evil 
})urposes.  Old  Scowl  has  slaves  now,  raid,  as 
he  is  believed  to  l)e  on  his  last  legs,  the  wisest 
thing  they  could  do  would  1)e  to  emigrate  to 
the  land  of  the  free,  farther  east. 

AMien  a  Ilj'da  chief  dies  it  is  su})posed  he 
will  need  servants  in  the  felicitous  fishing  fields, 
and  that  the  l)est  way  to  secure  them  is  to  take 
them  with  him.  Ilie  records  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  C()m})any  at  Port  Simpson  show,  that  in 
1(S42  on  one  occasion  the  agcmt  visited  a^  dying- 
man  of  some  note  and  entered  the  place  wliere 
he  lay  just  in  time  to  find  him  engaged  in  an 
attem})t  to  strangle  his  ne])hew.  The  agent 
rescued  the  boy  and  took  him  into  the  post, 
where  he  was  kept  till  after  tlu^  departure  of 
the  si)iril  of  his  kingly  uncle.  'I'hen  came  the 
mothci'  of  the  lad  and  demanded  comix'usation 
of  the  c()in])any  for  the  amioyance  and  incon- 


CANOES  AND   CARVED  POLES.  43 

venience  to  which  her  departed  brother  would 
be  put  in  the  other  world,  by  reason  of  not 
having  the  spirit  of  her  son  servilely  attendant 
upon  his  ghostly  majesty.  The  company  paid 
for  that  interference  in  family  affairs. 

Rude  as  these  people  may  be  considered  by 
persons  of  artificial  culture,  it  must  be  said  in 
their  favor  that  all  men  have  a  commercial  value 
in  their  ej'es,  and  accidental  insurance  is  one  of 
the  things  that  they  believe  in.  If  one  or 
twenty  of  these' Indians  are  hired  for  laI)or  they 
must  be  returned  or  paid  for,  some  costing  as 
much  as  one  hundred  dollars.  ^Nlany  years  ago, 
when  the  Russians  were  in  possession  of  Alaska, 
a  Frenchman  came  out  to  open  up  the  fur  trade 
and  add  to  the  commercial  importance  of  his 
brilliant  nation.  He  hired  a  lot  of  Sitka  In- 
dians to  hunt  seals  and  moved  down  al)out 
Queen  Charlotte's  to  commence  operations.  He 
put  his  Indians  ashore  there,  Avhere  twenty- 
three  of  them  were  killed  l)y  the  Ilydas  and 
nine  in  another  place.  AVhcn  he  returned  to 
Sitka  he  paid  two  hundred  dollars  apiece  for 
the  missing  Indians,  according  to  contract,  and 
had  a  grand  total  of  sixty-three  se:dskins  worth 
al)out  live  dollars  each  as  the  result  of  his 
cruise.  Then  he  sailed  for  La  Pjelh;  France 
with  rather  a  poor  opinion  of  the  country. 


44  A    TRIP    TO  ALASKA. 

The  women  of  those  tnl)es  have  their  foibles, 
as  other  women  have,  and  as  they  differ  some- 
what from  what  appears  farther  east  and  south- 
ward, it  may  be  well  to  mention  some  items. 
They  do  not  parade  to  any  irreat  extent  in 
sealskin  sacques  or  other  fine  fur,  a  fact  which 
ma}'  l)e  due,  at  least  in  part,  to  early  teachings. 
The  Hudson  Bay  Company,  which  first  intro- 
duced manners,  things,  and  ideas  of  civilization 
among  these  Indians,  forbade  their  employes 
wearing  furs  under  any  circumstances,  as  it  was 
found  if  they  made  use  of  such  articles  in  their 
wearing  apparel  the  Indians  would  imitate 
them,  and  good  furs  would  thus  be  wasted  as  it 
were,  and  there  would  l)e  nothing  in  the  country 
worth  trading  for.  And  now  calico  and  blan- 
kets are  more  worn  by  Ilyda  ^vomen  than 
furs. 

What  they  lack  in  skins,  howe\er,  they  make 
up  in  jewelry.  They  wear  rings  upon  their 
fingers,  in  their  ears,  and  in  their  noses.  But 
they  have  another  sort  of  ornament  which  is 
peculiar  to  the  squaws  on  this  coast.  On  ar- 
riving at  the  age  of  womanhood  they  pierce  the 
lower  li}),  through  which  they  thrust  a  piece  of 
ivory  or  a  silver  pin  about  an  incli  long  and  as 
tliick  as  a  knitting  needle.  Inside  the  mouth 
the  end  of  the  pin  is  fastened  to  a  ]:)late  which 


CANOES  AND   CAHVED  POLES.  4a 

rests  before  the  gum.  This  piii  is  increased  in 
thickness  as  the  hidy  advances  in  years,  till  it 
looks  as  if  the  entire  lip  had  l>een  torn  out  and 
the  hole  stopped  by  a  bone.  The  women  are 
industrious,  as  Indian  "women  generally  are, 
cleaning  the  fish,  curing  skins,  hewing  wood, 
and  drawino;  Avater.  They  make  a  corda<re  of 
the  fibre  of  nettles  (which  weed  they  use  for 
"greens"  also),  and  out  of  kelp,  which  is  found 
floating  all  through  these  waters.  Matting  is 
made  of  a  kind  of  grass,  and  one  species  of 
seaweed  is  dried  in  huge  blocks  a  foot  square 
and  two  to  three  inches  in  thickness,  forming  a 
staple  article  of  food. 

On  the  whole,  the  people  are  fat,  contented, 
and  hap})y,  so  far  as  can  be  judged  from  general 
ap{)earances,  and  though  ready  and  willing  to 
accept  anything  gratuitous  from  tobacco  to  old 
shoes,  they  volunteer  to  give  nothing;  and 
when  they  sell  they  are  the  most  unscrupulous 
of  Shy  locks.  These  are  part  of  our  purchase 
from  Ivussia.  Higher  up  we  have  others  of  a 
(litferont  but  ecjually  interesting  character. 


CHAPTER  V. 


WllANGEL    AND    SITKA. 


TpORT  WKAXGEL  is  situated  on  an  island 
-*-  at  the  mouth  of  Stickeen  river,  and  derives 
the  chief  part  of  its  commercial  importance 
from  ti'ade  with  miners  who  dig  gold  in  British 
Columbia. 

It  is,  at  times,  what  is  called  a  ''lively" 
town,  made  so  particularly  when  the  miiuu's 
come  down  in  the  fall.  Then  come  also  hun- 
dreds of  S(juaws,  who  form  the  chief  attraction 
for  dance-houses.  About  eight  hundred  Avhite 
men  and  three  hundred  Chinese  had  gone  u}) 
to  the  mines.  During  the  s})ring  before  and 
uj)  to  the  time  of  our  arrival,  squaws  were 
still  numerous,  but  about  three  hundred  of  them 
had  followed  the  miners.  Those  remaining 
"loafed"  around  the  stores,  the  younger  chew- 
ing gum  in  seminary  style,  the  elders  smoking 
black  pi])cs. 

There  an^  a  munbcr  of  stores  here  and  con- 
siderabh;    trade    is    done   with    Indians   in   furs. 

4G 


W  RAN  GEL  AND  SITKA.  47 

Wliitikov  is  ;i  eontrabiind  article,  tliouiih  plenty 
of"  liquor  in  bond  is  landed  tVom  Victoria  and 
transferred  to  river  steamers  or  canoes  for  the 
mines.  Indians  are  said  to  do  a  considerable 
amount  of  work  in  and  aI)out  the  mines,  pack- 
ino:  goods  around  portages,  etc. 

Wrangel  is  also  a  famous  place  for  fish  of 
various  kinds,  l)ut  the  most  highly  prized  of  all 
the  fishes  of  the  sea  in  tliis  i)art  of  the  world  is 
the  oolican  or  "  candle  tish,"'  like  a  smelt,  small, 
sweet,  and  very  fat.  The  oil  oozes  from  them 
when  drying,  and  when  dried  they  may  ))e 
lighted  and  will  burn  like  a  candle.  For  years 
Indians  have  made  pilgrimages  for  hundreds  of 
miles  from  the  interior,  for  the  purpose  of  tak- 
ing these  fish,  which  run  from  the  sea  into  fi'csh 
water  streams  during  a  few  we:'ks  in  the  spring. 
They  are  then  raked  out  and  dricMl  or  ])reserved 
in  brine  for  future  use.  Formerly  the  oolican 
were  taken  at  the  mouth  of  the  Stickeen,  but 
some  twenty  years  since  th(\v  t;iil(Ml  and  then 
they  could  be  o])tained  only  at  \ass  rixcr,  near 
Port  Siin})son.  Uecently.  howcN'er,  the  oolican 
returned  in  countless  numlxM's. 

Life  at  ^^'rangcl.  especially  for  a  temporary 
sojouriKM'.  has  its  di'awbacks.  Tlie  only  lirst- 
chiss  hotel  mo\cs  up  to  the  mines  during  the 
sunnner,  and    tlicre    is    no    other  class,  conse- 


48  A    TRIP   TO   ALASKA. 

quently  Jiccomniodation  is  limited  to  empty, 
cheerless  cabins,  or  the  hospitality  of  friends. 

To  a  man  who  has  the  use  of  his  limbs  and 
likes  to  exercise  them,  Wrangel  must  always 
appear  the  most  objectionable  of  places  as 
atlbrding  the  least  possible  scope  for  locomotion. 
To  "walk''  along  the  beach  means  to  hop  from 
boulder  to  boulder,  and  a  "  raml)le  "  through  the 
woods  takes  the  sha])c  of  climbing  up  one  side 
of  big  loofs  and  slidino;  or  fallimr  down  the 
other,  not  to  speak  of  such  little  difficulties  as 
impenetrable  brambles  and  "devil's  clubs." 
The  inhabitants  of  this  locality  may,  howev- 
er, console  themselves  -with  the  assurance  that 
professional  pedestrianism  will  never  reach 
them.  The  waters  of  the  bay  afford  an  oi)poi'- 
tunity  for  recreation  to  those  who  can  trust 
themselves  to  skittish  canoes,  but  there  is  not 
a  "white"  boat  in  the  great  seaport  of  AVran- 
gel. 

The  chief  amusement  in  which  the  visitor 
can  indulge,  is  to  Avatch  the  Indians  as  they 
lounge  along  the  store  fronts,  or  saunter  leis- 
urely through  the  strago-ling  town.  IMankcls 
of  every  imaginable  pattern  and  luie  form  the 
out(U'  garment  of  the  adults,  the  clothing  of 
youths  and  children  being  more  a  matter  of 
accident  than  ciioico,  and  now  and  then  we  meet 


WRAXGEL  AXD  SITKA.  49 

a  young  boy  avIio  has  not  yet  l)een  the  subject 
of  a  drapery  accident.  The  stores  are  gen- 
erally crowded  during  the  day,  but  it  Avould  be 
unsafe  to  draw  any  conclusions  as  to  the  state 
of  trade  from  the  nuniljer  of  Indians  fringing 
the  counters.  They  have  a  way  of  looking  at 
goods  for  days  or  weeks  ahead,  talking  the 
matter  over  with  friends  or  in  family  conclave 
even  if  the  coveted  o])ject  is  only  a  worsted 
scarf  or  a  hat.  To  o])tain  the  necessary  equiv- 
alent is  another  consideration,  involving  a  few 
days'  labor  at  chopping  or  packing,  or  a  jour- 
ney to  the  home  of  some  friend  or  creditor,  and 
■when  at  last  the  preparations  are  concluded,  tiie 
purchase  is  made  furtively,  and  often  without  a 
word  being  uttered  by  salesman  or  purchaser. 

The  arrival  of  large  parties  of  Indians  from 
distant  villages  always  causes  a  stir  in  "  bus- 
iness circles."'  The  traders  generally  have 
in  their  employ  some  hangers-on  Avho  are 
supposed  to  induce  Indian  visitors  to  sell  their 
furs  according  to  the  "  runner's*'  recommenda- 
tion, but  these  fellows,  as  a  rule,  are  not  to  l)e 
relied  upon.  The  ''wild"  customers  know 
enough  of  business  to  sell  only  to  the  highest 
1)idder.  They  })itch  their  cam})  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  town,  and  do  not  begin  to 
''trade"    until    visits    of    ceremony    have    been 


50  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

exchanged  with  resident  Indians.  Individuals 
walk  into  town,  and,  with  one  or  two  skins 
tucked  awa\"  under  their  Ijlanket,  they  make  the 
round  of  the  stores.  One  of  these  fellows  will 
quietly  walk  up  to  the  counter  and  silently 
deposit  a  silver  fox  or  l)eaver  skin.  The  clerk 
picks  it  uj),  shakes  it,  smells  it,  rubs  it,  twist- 
ing it  first  one  May  and  then  another,  then 
smooths  it  down  again  on  the  counter  with  an 
air  of  cunning  and  shrewdness  beautiful  to  be- 
hold. At  last  he  utters  one  or  two  words  in 
"Chinook,"  or  some  Indian  dialect,  mentioning 
the  price.  Tlie  dusky  operator  never  accepts  a 
first  offer,  but  silently  i)icks  up  the  skin,  con- 
ceals it  in  the  folds  of  his  blanket  and  stalks 
away.  In  the  next  store  the  performance  is 
repeated,  and  days  are  often  spent  in  this  way 
before  a  baro-ain  is  concluded.  It  is  safe  to 
assert  that  each  of  the  ten  store-kec})ers  of 
Wi'angel  handles  and  a})praises  every  skin 
l)rought  for  sale  in  this  way. 

Difierent  tactics  arc  resorted  to,  however, 
when  some  chief  arrives  with  a  large  consign- 
ment of  I'lirs,  the  fruit  of  a  year's  hunting  and 
trapping  by  his  slaves.  The  lucky  trader  who 
gets  such  a  prospective  prize  within  his  dooi's. 
resorts  to  almost  any  device  to  detain  the  cus- 
tomer and  his  precious    furs.      Several   of  the 


WRANGEL  AND  SITKA.  51 

store-keepers  have  "  private  tradina-  rooms,"' 
into  Avhich  the  ''  rich  Indians  "  arc  invited  and 
there  treated  to  food,  drink  and  tobacco  —  in 
some  cases,  it  is  said,  also  to  forbidden  ak'oholic 
stimulants.  The  most  tempting  array  of  dry 
goods  is  spread  upon  the  floor,  together  with 
tire-arms  and  amnnniition  ;  presents  of  finery  are 
judiciously  bestowed  upon  the  females  accom- 
panying the  chief;  candy  and  nuts  are  show- 
ered upon  the  juveniles.  If  the  chief  has  not 
made  u[)  his  mind  when  evening  comes,  he  is 
loaded  with  canned  delicacies,  sweet  crackers, 
and  molasses,  and  returns  to  camp  to  feast  with 
his  "tilicums.*"  Perhaps  the  following  day  the 
bargain  is  concluded  —  the  chief  receiving  a 
higher  price  for  his  furs  than  they  would  bring- 
in  Victoria  or  San  Francisco.  But  how  does 
the  trader  live  by  such  transactions?  That  is  a 
secret  of  the  Wrangel  ''  merchants  *'  and  I  shall 
not  give  it  away. 

It  is  diffic-ult  to  surmise  what  AVrangel  would 
be  without  the  Indians,  but  even  the  most  ardent 
admirer  of  the  red-men  would  not  dare  to 
assert  that  life  is  made  more  pleasant  by  their 
presence.  They  lumber  up  nearly  every  foot 
of  available  space,  squatting,  crouching,  or 
lying  at  full  length  :  thoy  carr\'  with  them  an 
atmosphere  of  unpleasant  odors,  and  are  apt  to 


52  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

l)lant  themsGlves  upon  any  seat  Avithin  their 
roadi  with  tlic  greatest  unconcern.  Their 
clothes,  unless  just  from  the  store,  are  grim}'" 
enough  to  awaken  uncomfortable  suspicions, 
and  in  addition  to  all  this  they  are  constantly 
masticating,  during  the  sunnner  months  a  kind 
of  wild  celery  with  a  very  strong  odor.  The 
squaws  bring  canoe-loads  of  it  from  the  woods 
every  morning,  and  l)y  noon  the  stoops  and 
side-walks  are  heaped  with  garbage,  and  the 
unpleasant  scent  ascends  to  heaven. 

The  natives  at  Fort  Wrangel  are  all  good 
Indians,  '"friendly  disi)osed  toward  the  whites." 
Our  steamer  was  boarded  by  a  numljer  of  them 
while  in  the  harbor,  bearing  certificates  of  good 
chtiracter.  The  most  noted  of  them  is  a  blind 
old  fellow  with  "  papers  "  from  all  the  officials 
who  have  been  in  the  country',  and  with  one 
from  the  ca])tain  of  a  P)ritish  man-of-war  dating 
back  to  1853.  The  old  fellow  who  is  called 
Paul  Jones,  came  on  l)oard,  desirous  of  obtain- 
ing a  berth  as  interpreter  for  a  gunboat.  The 
Indians  here  have  a  high  regard  for  gunboats, 
Avhich  they  1)elievc  fully  competent  to  i-ule  both 
land  and  water.  Paul  Jones  averred  that  he 
had  been  ])lind  for  twenty-six  y(MU's  and  that 
his  i)lin<lness  was  due  to  sickness  and  there)>y 
hangs  a  talc.     It  is  said  that  previous  to    his 


W RANG  EL   AND  .'<ITKA.  53 

blindness  Paul  Jones  was  a  pilot  on  this  coast, 
in  which  profession  he  achieved  some  extraordi- 
nary successes  in  a  certain  way.  He  succeeded 
in  wrecking-  two  trading  schooners  by  deliber- 
ately running  them  upon  rocks  for  purposes  of 
plunder.  He  made  one  more  attempt  in  that 
direction,  Avhich  was  his  last. 

As  the  story  goes,  Paul  Jones  was  engaged 
about  twenty-six  years  ago,  as  pilot  for  a  mer- 
chant vessel,  commanded  by  a  captain  whose 
schooner  had  been  once  wrecked  by  this  same 
good  Indian.  Approaching  the  locality  of  his 
former  disaster,  the  captain  saw,  or  thought  he 
saw,  the  pilot  attempting  to  run  his  vessel  upon 
the  rocks,  which  he  knew  too  well.  Seeing  this 
the  captain  seized  the  Indian  and  at  tirst  pro- 
posed to  kill  him,  but  changed  the  decree  to 
blindness,  and,  in  j[)ursuance  of  that  determina- 
tion destroyed  the  i)ilot's  sight.  He  said  Paul 
Jones  should  wreck  no  more  vessels,  and  it  may 
be  assumed  as  correct  that  since  the  loss  of  his 
eyes  he  has  retired  from  })il()ting,  and  now  seeks 
to  act  as  inter})reter.  One  of  his  papers,  how- 
ever, intimated  that  an  alleged  characteristic  of 
the  interpreter  was  a  weakness  for  withholding 
from  an  Indian  whom  he  might  not  particularly 
admire  any  expressions  of  approbation  which  the 
principal  might  be  desirous  of  conveying.     This 


54'  A    Tliir    TO  ALASKA. 

is  a  daniTGrous  failing  in  an  Indian  intcr[)retcr, 
for  flattery  is  a  powerful  engine  in  dealing  with 
the  simple  savage. 

Another  good  Indian  here  had  a  most  toueh- 
ing  tribute  from  General  C).  O.  Howard,  who 
ho})ed  his  protege  would  do  all  in  his  power  to 
[)revent  the  circulation  of  whiskey  among  his 
people.  It  closed  with  an  elo(|uent  assurance 
that  God  loves  those  who  dwell  in  peace  to- 
gether. This  lovable  youth  made  use  of  his 
paper  as  an  argument  in  favor  of  donations  of 
tobacco  and  hard  tack. 

The  '^ medicine  man''  of  this  coast  is  an 
awfully  mysterious  personage.  His  lirst  ste})s 
in  the  art  of  healing,  according  to  the  traditions 
of  his  tril)e,  are  taken  at  an  extremely  eai'ly 
day  in  his  c-ireer.  Should  a  child  be  born  with 
curly  hair,  strabismical  eye,  or  a  v\\\h  foot,  he 
is  acce})tcd  as  a  healer  of  tlie  generation,  and 
all  his  early  training  is  conducted  with  a  view 
to  increasing  his  sujjcrnalural  })()wers  and  con- 
trol owv  the  spirits  of  the  a.ir.  His  food  is 
carefully  selected,  and  many  articles  of  e\'erv- 
day  use  among  the  connnon  herd  are  excluded 
from  his  l)ill  of  fare.  He  is  put  in  training  for 
a  doctor  from  his  infanc}',  and  great  things  are 
cx})ecte<l  of  liim  when  fully  developed  and  en- 
dowed with  his  deo-ree. 


WNAXGJ-JL  AND  ^ITKA.  bb 

The  "doctor"  seldom  Avashes  his  })erson,  and 
never  cuts  his  huir,  which  hitter  grows  long  and 
bushy  in  masses,  knotted  from  lack  of  combimii: 
and  entangled  with  burrs  and  general  rubbish, 
such  as  floats  around  an  Indian  encampment. 
He  adorns  his  scanty  raiment  with  eagle's  down, 
and  altogether  presents  a  weird,  not  to  say 
untidy,  appearance. 

In  cases  of  serious  illness  among  members  of 
a  Plain's  tribe,  the  ^Medicine  ^Nlan  will  adminis- 
ter sparingly  some  pulverized  herbs  and  teas  in 
consideraI)le  draughts,  but  the  ''Siwash"  doctor 
of  the  northwest  coast  scorns  all  sublunar}' aids, 
whether  of  powders  or  decoctions.  When  a 
Hyda  or  Stickeen  Indian  is  very  sick  the 
Siwash  doctor  proceeds  slowly  at  tirst  to  agi- 
tate his  attendant  spirit,  which  is  called  n 
'^Yake,"  and  by  extraordinary  contortions  and 
gymnastic  exercises  succeeds,  in  the  course  of 
half  an  hour,  in  working  himself  up  to  a  perfect 
paroxysm  of  clairvoyanc}',  throwing  off  his  gar- 
ments as  he  progresses,  till  finally  he  stands 
arrayed  in  an  abbreviated  skirt  about  his  loins, 
but  is  clothed  chieflv  in  foam  and  pers})irati()n. 
Then  he  is  ready  for  ])usiness. 

He  now  makes  "[)asses."  as  the  gentlemen  of 
the  "P.  ]\."  call  them,  toward  the  body  of  the 
patient,  inhaling  his  breath  noisih'  through  his 


56  A    TRir   TO  ALA.SKA. 

teeth,  producing:  .some  such  sound  as  is  heard 
in  dental  shops  when  laughinLj'  gas  is  adminis- 
tered. Iltiving  sucked  the  disease  out  of  the 
form  of  tlie  sick  man,  the  doctor  proceeds  to 
the  centre  of  the  house  and  l)lows  it  up  through 
tlie  opening  where  smoke  from  the  fire  finds  its 
exit.  Of  course  the  patient  is  now  in  a  fair 
way  to  recovery.  But  in  case  of  the  patient 
not  evincing  any  signs  of  improvement,  the 
doctor  finds  that  the  "  conditions  are  not  favor- 
able," owing  to  the  influence  of  some  witch  who 
has  evoked  an  evil  s})irit  to  operate  against  the 
recovery.  In  such  a  case  it  becomes  the  doc- 
tor's first  duty  to  point  out  the  witch,  who  is 
stripped,  l)ound,  and  subjected  to  a  Puritanical 
course  of  discii)line,  with  a  view  to  forcing  a 
confession.  The  rack,  the  scourge,  and  starva- 
tion generally  have  the  desired  eifect,  and  the 
witch  acknowledges  anything  that  the  doctor 
demands.  This  is  alwaA's  gratifying,  and  is 
considered  one  of  the  greatest  trium})hs  of  the 
healing  art ;  but  should  the  confession  be  made 
too  late  to  effect  the  desired  cure,  the  witch  may 
be  killed,  and  often  is  sacrificed  on  general 
principles.  Even  though  the  jiatient  dii^s 
under  tlie>e  circumstances  it  is  still  a  triumph 
for  the  doctor,  as  killing  the  w  itch  is  as  good 
proof  of  witchcraft  in  that   portion  of  Alaska 


WR ANGEL   AND  SITKA.  57 

to-day  as  it  was  in  New  England  two  hundred 
years  ago. 

The  missionaries  are  laboring  to  abolish  the 
"Siwash"  school  of  practice,  but,  unfortunately, 
as  they  are  themselves  ignorant  of  allopathy, 
homoeopathy  or  hydropathy,  perhaps,  they  have 
nothing  to  offer  in  its  i)lace.  There  is  an  occa- 
sional M.  1).  at  Wrangel,  travelling  to  the 
"  di<?<2-i nil's  "  in  sunnner,  and  coniini>-  down  with 
the  honest  miners  in  the  autunni,  but  they  have 
little  sympathy  for  sick  Indians,  upon  Avhom 
they  lay  a  tax  so  heavy,  when  called  in,  that 
their  charges  come  to  be  regarded  as  the  extor- 
tions of  impostors.  I  heard  of  a  doctor  from 
the  mines  charoino;  an  Indian  tive  dollars  for  a 
small  box  of  sim})le  salve,  to  be  a})i)lied  to  a 
sore  heel,  and  that  style  of  healing  is  the  Hy  in 
the  ointment,  that  operates  seriously  against  the 
success  of  the  missionary  who  preaches  against 
the  athletic  antics  of  the  "Siwashes,"  who  pro- 
fess to  cast  out  unclean  spirits  and  cure  Indian 
tlesh  of  obstinate  ailments. 

If  it  suggests  anything  it  is  that  young  men 
who  are  educated  as  missionaries  should  receive 
regular  instruction  in  medicine  and  surgery, 
which  may  be  as  necessary  to  success  among 
savages  as  heavy  rendings  in  theology. 

Miners  come  down  the   Stickeen  in  the  fall 


58  A    TRIP    TO    ALASKA. 

and  make  the  town  lively  by  increasing  business 
generally.  They  patronize  the  dance-houses 
and  swing  corners  with  the  dusky  maidens  of 
the  forest  and  island,  but  the  dissipation  in 
these  i)riniitive  halls  of  Terpsichore  c;)nsists 
mainly  of  indulgence  in  apples  and  cigars,  to 
which  cotillon  partners  are  treated.  At  the 
time  of  m\'  visit  no  beer  was  sold  here,  but  it 
has  since  ])een  introduced. 

AMien  the  miners  are  in  funds  they  gamble 
also,  l)ut  members  of  Congress  are  popularly 
credited  ^vith  similar  recreation  as  a  relief  to 
"overtaxed  ])rains."  Gambling  as  a  pastime 
or  })rofcssion  has  never  yet  been  eradicated  l)y 
law.  though  often  prohibited  with  severe  penal- 
tics  for  infraction.  When  the  miners  have 
monc}'  they  pay  for  their  dancing,  and  when 
they  have  not,  toward  spring,  they  are  only 
taxed  for  the  lights.  Failing  to  get  pay  for  the 
illumination,  the  dancing  master  takes  his  tiddle 
under  his  arm,  clears  the  house,  walks  out,  locks 
the  door,  goes  to  the  mines,  and  Wrangel  society 
suffers  a  collapse,  '^fhere  would  appear  to  be 
nothing  of  a  serious  nature  ai)Out  that. 

It  is  ti"U(i  a  man  was  killed  here  during 
the  wintci-  of  bS78-9,  but  the  shooter  was  tried 
by  a  jury  of  twelve  men  selected  by  liimself. 
The  court  was  presided  over  by  three  judges  of 


WRANGEL  AXD  SITKA.  59 

equal  jurisdiction,  responsible  business  men  of 
the  place,  and  the  murderer  was  regularly 
hanged  on  a  regularly  constructed  scaltbld. 
He  had,  or  might  have  had,  the  benetit  of 
clergy,  and  I  believe  some  of  the  ladies  sent 
him  bouquets  and  sweetmeats  while  he  was 
awaiting  execution,  which  is  all  that  could  have 
been  done  for  him  in  Boston  or  Philadelphia. 

There  was  no  other  disturbance  of  a  serious 
character  at  Wrangel,  except  a  slight  row  l)e- 
tween  the  resident  Indians  and  some  of  the 
visiting  tril)es,  but  the  Indians  can  and  always 
will  settle  their  own  affairs,  if  given  a  chance. 
They  settled  that,  and  though  the  Ilydas 
thought  thev  oualit  to  have  a  <2:un])oat  to  blow 
the  Stickeens  into  smithereens,  they  got  along 
without  it  and  nol)ody  was  killed. 

On  the  whole  it  appears  that  the  pco]ile  at 
Wrangel  were  al)le  to  take  care  of  themselves, 
and  as  they  had  no  taxes  to  pay  they  thought 
they  could  get  along  without  a  (Tovcrnment 
imported  from  the  East.  They  have  no  corpo- 
rate system  of  Avater  works,  nor  any  })aved 
streets:  neither  have  they  a  l)onded  debt. 
Tiiere  may  be  })lcnty  of  work  here  for  mis- 
sionaries, but  there  is  no  lack  of  missionaries 
willing  to  do  it.  There  is  room  for  moral 
improvenient   possible,  but  such  a  condition  of 


60  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

afFuii's  is  not  confined  exclusively  to  Wrangel 
Island. 

If  the  people  of  ^Vl•an£rel  Avere  suffering  for 
government  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  they  did  not 
seem  to  be  aware  of  it.  The  permanent  white 
population  of  this  place  was  seventy-five  per- 
sons. Indians,  and  transitory  miners,  and 
Chinese  far  outnumber  them  but  do  not  count 
as  population. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


SITKA    AND    KADIAK. 


n^HE  situation  at  Sitka  Mas  not  greatly  clifFer- 
-*-  ent  from  that  at  AVrangel  as  to  character 
of  country  and  })eople,  l)ut  there  were  fewer 
people  at  Sitka.  It  is  less  than  a  day's  run 
for  the  steamer  from  the  one  place  to  the 
other.  In  good  old  Russian  times  Sitka  was  y, 
the  caj^ital  of  Alaska.  It  was  occupied  by  a 
garrison  of  some  three  hundred  men  who  were 
well  provided  with  such  munitions  of  war  as 
were  then  regarded  the  most  approved  machines 
for  nuu'dor.  In  those  halcyon  days,  say  before 
the  Mexican  war,  Sitka  was  a  real  metropolis 
and  the  most  important  maritime  town  on  the 
western  coast  of  America  north  of  ]\Iexico. 
The  "  castle"  which  was  once  the  residence  of 
llie  Governor-General  still  stands  high  upon  a 
mound  overlooking  the  settlement  and  the  l)eau- 
tiful  bay.  Ikit  the  garrison  is  gone  ;  the  shij)- 
building  has  ceased  ;  the  martial  music  is  silent  ; 
more  than  three-fourtlis  of  the  houses  are 
vacant ;  the  Stockade  has  been  contemptuously 

Gl 


C^■2  A    TRIP   rO  ALASKA. 

carried  away  l)}^  Indians  for  fuel,  and  the  place 
had  altogether  a  deserted  and  discouraging 
aspect.  Still  the  few  whites  here  talk  of  mines 
and  great  things  in  future  for  Sitka.  It  must 
])e  mines,  if  anything,  that  will  create  a  future 
for  this  reminiscence  of  a  settlement.  At  the 
time  of  our  visit  there  were  a])out  seventy-five 
whites,  men,  women,  and  children,  of  all  nation- 
alities here.  Outside  the  line  of  the  old  Stock- 
ade there  were  about  a  thousand  Indians.  In 
the  harbor  was  a  sloo})-of-war  to  keep  the  peace, 

Sitka  is  situated  upon  a  swampy  island  hav- 
ing the  sunless,  very  wet  climate  conmion  to 
this  coast  al)ove  California  and  much  worse 
in  Alaska  than  in  Oregon  and  AVashington 
Territory,  where  the  climat(-'  does  admit  of 
some  farming.  But  no  man  should  come  to 
Sitka  to  look  for  farming  lands  or  climate. 
And  on  all  this  coast  there  is  not  a  more 
cheerless  looking  place  than  Sitka. 

AVlien  Dr.  LeMoync  celel)rated  the  comple- 
tion of  his  crematory  by  the  incineration  of 
the  remains  of  the  eccentric  Baron  \'on  Balm, 
the  whole  country  was  in  a  state  of  })erspiration 
for  daj's  o\cr  the  event,  and  re})rescntatives  of 
the  press  from  J'hiladelphia  and  Xew  York 
were  sent  out  to  'Washington,  Benns\-lvania,  1o 
re})ort    the    wonderful    ceremony.      Here    it    is 


SITKA   AXn  KADIAK.  63 

different.  Cremation  is  as  common  as  death 
itself  among  tlie  Indiiins. 

AVe  were  hardly  at  anchor  in  the  har])or  at 
Sitka  before  we  were  informed  that  a  body  was 
to  be  barl)eciied,  and  innncdiately  after  break- 
fast I  went  ashore  to  see  something  of  the  cere- 
mony. The  funeral  pyre  consisted  of  a  crib  of 
dried  logs,  each  about  six  inches  in  diameter 
and  six  feet  in  length,  arranged  four  at  the 
ends  and  three  upon  each  side,  supported  by 
green  stakes. 

The  arrangements  Avere  very  sim})le.  The 
bod}'  of  a  squaw,  who  had  died  on  Sunday 
(this  was  on  \A'e(hiesday),  was  hoisted  out  of 
the  smoke-hole  in  the  center  of  the  house. 
Dead  Ixxlies  are  never  permitted  to  go  out 
through  the  doorway,  among  these  Indians.  If 
they  were  taken  out  that  wa}*,  the  s})irits  would 
))(>  almost  certain  to  return  to  })lague  their  sur- 
viving relatives.  The  Ixxly  in  question  was 
wrap})ed  in  a  connnon  bark  mat,  such  as  these 
Indians  make,  and  laid  in  the  crib,  the  top 
being  covered  with  lo2"s  laid  crosswise.  The 
lire  was  then  started  and  the  mourners,  who  con- 
sisted of  female  relatives,  sat  around  upon  the 
ground  to  the  windward  and  slightly  to  the 
right  of  the  burning  ])ile.  Their  hair  had  been 
cut  short,  their  faces  ^vcrc  all  Ijlackened,  and  as 


64  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

the  tears  from  their  weeping  e\^es  cut  channels 
through  the  lampl)lack,  the  effect  was  exceed- 
ingly touching.  The  squaws,  who  numbered 
fifteen  or  twenty,  sobbed,  sniffled,  and  whined 
with  every  evidence  of  genuine  grief.  To  the 
left  of  the  women  a  number  of  male  relatives  of 
the  deceased  put  in  the  time  chanting  contin- 
ually and  keeping  time  with  staves  about  five 
feet  long,  M'ith  which  they  rapped  pieces  of 
boards.  The  men  stood  erect  all  this  time  and 
were  led  in  the  chant  by  an  old  man  who  held  a 
crow  totem  in  one  hand,  Avhich  being  shaken, 
produced  a  rattling  noise,  hy  pebbles  within 
the  hollow  instrument. 

The  ceremony  continued  for  about  three 
hours  and  a  half,  when  the  remains  were  con- 
sumed, with  the  exception  of  some  of  the 
larger  leg  and  arm  1)()nes  and  a  portion  of  the 
skull.  As  soon  as  the  residuum  was  cool  enough 
to  be  taken  up,  the  mass,  along  with  some  of 
the  wood  ashes,  was  placed  in  a  box,  which  was 
deposited  in  a  sort  of  small  hen-coop  on  stakes, 
scores  of  which  dot  the  hill  behind  the  village. 

x\fter  the  cremation  the  tired  Indians  turned 
in  and  slept  during  the  afternoon,  and  at  night 
had  their  customary  dance  in  honor  of  the  suc- 
cessful   issue    of   the    enterprise. 


CHAPTER  yil. 

KADIAK. 

OO  fur  as  mere  extent  of  territory  is  con- 
'^  cerned  it  must  be  admitted  that  in  the 
purchase  of  xVlaska  we  got  enough  land,  or 
water  and  rocks,  for  the  money.  Our  property 
in  this  region  connnences  at  Cape  Fox  as  the 
southeastern  extremity,  about  50°  42'  north 
latitude  and  130°  west  from  Greenwich.  From 
this  point  a  strip  of  ten  marine  leagues  in  width 
along  the  coast  extends  northward  to  Mount 
St.  Eiias,  and  thence  due  north  to  the  Arctic 
Ocean.  Along  the  coast  of  the  southeastern 
portion  a  number  of  islands  form  many  inland 
passages  similar  to  those  on  the  coast  of  Iji-itish 
Columljia.  The  southern  portion  of  Alaska 
is  split  about  the  sixtieth  parallel,  leaving  the 
mainland  to  continue  southward  to  the  line  of 
British  Columl)ia,  while  to  the  westward  ex- 
tends the  peninsula,  which  terminates  in  lon- 
gitude 160°  20'  west.  Then  commences  the 
Aleutian  Archipelago,  forming  a  chain  of  islands 

(55 


66  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

with  narrow  passages  between,  ])cnding  around 
to  the  southward  and  westward,  re;iching  to 
Attou,  187°  40'  west,  or  172°  20'  east  from 
Greenwich.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  our  most 
Avesterly  Alaskan  settlement  is  in  the  eastern 
hemisphere  —  nearer  to  London  by  a  western 
than  by  an  eastern  course. 

From  Cape  Fox  —  the  southeastern  extremity 
of  Alaska  —  to  Attou,  is  thirty-tive  and  one-half 
degrees,  or  about  nineteen  hundred  miles.  A 
line  drawn  from  Attou  through  the  middle  of 
Behring  Straits  will  })ass  between  the  Diomed 
Islands  at  a  distance  of  about  one  thousand  miles 
from  Attou.  From  there  we  may  claim  north- 
ward till  stopped  by  polar  ice.  This  is  an 
extensive  territory,  taking  in  the  water,  but 
even  of  land  there  are  live  hundred  and  sixty- 
one  thousand  square  miles;  and  if  the  land, 
which  is  mostly  set  u})  on  end,  so  far  as  it  is 
known,  ^\■ere  flattened  down,  there  would  be  a 
great  deal  more.  But  probably  there  is  enough 
of  it  now,  such  as  it  is. 

The  mountains  of  Kadiak  rise  into  view  at 
iitty  miles  distance  from  the  harl)or,  presenting 
an  exceeilingly  rugged  and  })ictures(jue  appear- 
ance. The  foregound  is  l)arren  and  cold  look- 
ing, with  shar})  ridges  and  peaks  of  snow  in  the 
rem-.     As    we    a})})r()ach,    forests    of    scraggy 


EADIAK.  67 

spruce  become  visible,  and  we  arc  told  to  take 
a  good  look  at  them,  because  we  will  see  no 
timber  to  the  west  and  north.  Kadiak  is  an 
island  a  hundred  miles  or  more  in  lenath  and 
averaging,  perhaps,  forty  miles  in  width,  being 
se})arated  from  the  mainland  bv  the  Straits  of 
Shelikoo.  Kadiak  and  adjacent  islands  contain 
a  population  of  upwards  of  two  thousand  souls, 
many  of  them  being  Russians  and  of  nn'xed  blood. 
The  great  majority  of  the  people,  however,  are 
Innuits,  who  live  principally  on  tisii,  Avhich  is 
here  the  staple  article  of  food,  as  l)rcad  is  in 
some  connnunitics.  The  settlement  of  Kadiak  — 
or  St.  Paul's,  as  it  is  i)ut  down  on  some  of 
the  charts  —  contains  a  church  (Kusso-(Trcek), 
the  stores  of  two  trading  companies,  a  custom- 
house, the  remains  of  a  United  States  garrison, 
and  quite  a  village  of  houses  in  which  the  na- 
tives reside. 

The  Russians  made  an  attempt  to  have  their 
headquarters  at  Kadiak,  being  a  central  point, 
and  in  many  respects  quite  advantageous  ;  hut  a 
l)etter  harbor  was  found  at  Sitka,  tivc  hun<lre<l 
and  fifty  miles  to  the  eastward.  At  })rosent 
Kadiak  derives  its  chief  importance  from  the 
fur-traders'  stations  here,  forming  the  head- 
quarters of  a  considerable  tratli.'  u])  Cook's 
Inlet.     Another  industry,  formerly  of  import- 


68  A  TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

mice  here,  was  the  cutting  and  storing  of  ice  for 
the  use  of  San  Francisco,  which  trade  has  been 
suspended  by  the  manufacture  of  artificial  ice 
in  the  California  metropolis.  The  American- 
Kussian  Ice  Company  still  puts  up  a  large 
supply  of  ice  ever}^  3'ear,  permitting  it  to  melt 
away  at  the  close  of  the  season,  so  as  to  fur- 
nish work  for  the  natives  during  the  Avinter 
months.  It  is  understood  that  the  San  Fran- 
cisco xVrtificial  Ice  Company  have  some  benevo- 
lent arrangement  with  the  Kadiak  concern  by 
which  the  market  is  not  disturl)ed;  but,  in  the 
event  of  any  troul)le  with  the  San  Francisco 
Company,  Kadiak  ice  could  l)e  sent  down  from 
here. 

Kadiak  is  considered  a  specially  favored  spot 
in  Alaska  because  it  produces  tim])er  and  a  good 
({uality  of  grass.  ]Morc  cattle  are  ibund  here 
than  in  any  other  pen-lion  of  Alaska,  though 
hay  must  be  i)r()vided  for  their  sup})()rt  during 
four  months  of  the  year.  Native  potatoes  also 
thrive  here,  and  these,  with  fish,  which  are  re- 
markal)ly  abundant,  and  the  fur  trade,  make  it 
one  of  the  most  important  settlements  in  the 
Territory.  As  tin  agricultural  and  ])astural 
countr}'  Kadiak  has  no  equal  along  the  coast 
of  Alaska.  There  may  l)e  fifty  head  of  cattle 
(Ml   ;h(>    island,  and  as  many  more    on  Woody 


KADIAK.  69 

Island,  across  the  harbor,  "vvhere  the  ice  com- 
pany has  its  liead  quarters.  Here  is  found  the 
agent  "vvho  hires  the  people  to  cut  ice,  to  run 
his  saw-mill,  to  build  his  boats,  and  to  care 
for  his  horses.  He  buys  their  furs,  furnishes 
them  with  such  store  ijoods  as  thev  need,  ad- 
ministers  medicines  when  they  are  sick,  and 
has  a  general  supervision  of  the  colony  except 
in  the  matter  of  religion,  which  he  leaves  them 
to  enjoy  according  to  their  education.  For  him- 
self he  enjoys  life.  He  sails,  he  hunts,  he  rides, 
walks,  and  takes  all  sorts  of  athletic  exercises, 
and  has  sport  of  all  kinds  that  can  be  had  in  a 
country  like  this,  prolific  in  game  and  free  from 
political  and  other  restrictions.  His  house  is 
well  furnished,  his  table  luxurious!}'  supplied,  he 
has  no  taxes  to  pay,  no  elections  to  trouble  him 
or  his  people,  no  police,  nor  any  use  for  them. 

One  of  the  institutions  of  Kadiak  is  the 
"galanka."  This  is  an  upright  furnace  made  of 
brick,  the  best  and  most  economical  heater  that 
has  ever  been  tried,  so  the  people  say  out  this 
way,  and  they  all  agree  on  this  point.  It  is  a 
series  of  connecting  Hues  which  retain  the  heat 
for  twenty-four  hours  after  the  small  amount  of 
wood  used  has  been  consumed.  Out  in  this 
country  there  is  nothing  to  compare  witli  the 
jjalanka  as  a  house-warmer. 


70  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

The  commercial  im})ort:ince  of  Kadiak  at 
present  consists  of  its  fur  tnide  drawn  from  the 
surrounding  country,  })rinci|)ally  irom  Cook's 
Inlet.  This  will  probal)ly  diminish,  but  there 
seem  to  be  other  resources  here  Avhich,  in  the 
course  of  time,  may  develop  into  something  of 
value.  The  waters  hereabouts  arc  plentifully 
supplied  with  lisli,  —  cod,  salmon,  and  herring 
being  caught  in  any  quantity  required.  There  is 
a  cannery  at  Karlook  where  excellent  salmoir 
are  preserved.  There  is  considerable  spruce 
timber  suitable  for  the  construction  of  small 
vessels,  and  the  natives  are  apt  at  mechanical 
emplo^'ments,  lal)()r  being  cheap,  so  that  there 
seems  to  be  no  reason  why  tishing  could  not  be 
made  an  important  industry  at  Kadiak.  The 
agricultural  resources  of  the  island  are  consid- 
ered supei'ior  —  for  Alaska,  but  they  must  be 
rated  exceedingly  limited  in  fact.  Here,  as 
about  Wrangel  and  Sitka,  there  are  morasses 
on  the  tops  of  the  hills.  Snow  lingers  on  the 
mountains  all  sunmier,  melting  just  fast  enough 
to  keep  the  whole  island  saturated  with  ice  water, 
and  ice  "water  is  not  generally  considered  a  valu- 
able adjunct  to  fancy  gardening,  or  even  to 
protitable  fanning.  Along  the  coast,  adjacent 
to  the  beaeli.  are  the  dryest  and  warmest  s])()ts 
of  soil.  In  these  ])l;iees  small  nati\"e  })otatoes  and 
other  liai'dv  vei^'elables  will   o'row.      'Ww,  native 


KADIAK.  71 

potatoes  are  very  good,  1)ut  exceedingly  small. 
They  bear  about  the  same  relation  to  the  l)est 
varieties  of  potatoes  that  Texas  cattle  do  to  short- 
horns. In  all  the  little  gardening  to  be  seen  at 
Sitka  and  Kadiak,  success  depends  on  making- 
narrow,  raised  beds  sloping  southward,  so  that 
they  may  be  kept  as  warm  jmd  dry  as  possible 
on  the  surface. 

Wild  cranberries  grow  plentifully  on  Kaditik, 
and,  though  they  are  of  tine  flavor,  they  are 
small  and  probably  could  not  be  shipped  with 
[)rofit.  Furs  and  tish  are  the  most  valuable  of 
its  products  at  present.  The  furs  consist  of  sea 
and  land  otter,  marten,  mink,  lynx,  wolverine, 
and  fox,  including  red,  cross,  black,  and  silver- 
gray.  ]\Iink  and  1>eaver  are  low-})riced  fnrs, 
hut  a  great  many  go  in  with  the  others.  One 
of  the  companies  had  ju'^t  got  in  the  spring  ship- 
ments of  furs  a  short  time  Ijefore  our  arrival 
at  Kadiak,  and,  hanging  on  the  loft  of  the  ware- 
houses, they  made  a  display  which  would  be 
an  ol)jcct  of  great  public  interest  if  on  exhil)i- 
tion  in  any  large  city  of  the  ""  States."  The  va- 
riety and  richness  of  grades  and  shades  were 
bewildering.  In  addition  to  wliat  those  com- 
panies obtain,  the  Wood  Island  trader  buys  all 
of  the  best  that  are  otforod  him.  Altogolhor  the 
three  houses  ship  ])orha})s  one  hundred  thousiuid 
dollars  worth  of  furs  from  Kadiak  annuallv. 


CHAPTER   YIII. 

THE    SHUMAGIX    ISLANDS. 

T  EAVING  Kadiak  we  steam  westward  to 
-^-^  I-iiga,  one  of  the  Sliuiiiagin  group  of"  is- 
lands lying  south  of  the  j)eninsula  of  Alaska. 
Coasting  along  for  two  days,  land  is  almost  con- 
stantly within  sight  —  rough,  barren-looking 
mountains.  The  ^'Eush"  lost  considerable  time 
in  deep-sea  soundings  between  Kadiak  and 
Unga,  and  in  making  o])servations  of  prominent 
points.  The  deep-sea  soundings  did  not  develop 
much,  but  the  observations  resulted  in  establish- 
ing the  fact  that  the  coast-survey  charts  are 
considerably  "out"  in  the  position^  of  many 
headlands. 

Unga  is  the  chief  of  the  Shumagin  group 
and  is  the  centre  of  considerable  cod-fishing. 
A  num])er  of  small  schooners  are  up  here  in- 
dependently, and  a  California  company  has  a 
station  on  l^o]K)fl'  Island,  twelve  miles  distant 
from  Delaroff,  the  hnrbor  and  settlement  of 
Unga  Island.  At  that  station,  which  is  called 
72 


THE  SHU M AGIN  ISLAXDH.  73 

Pirate  Cove,  the  fish  are  salted  and  packed  for 
shipment  to  San  Francisco,  A\here  they  are 
dried.  A  number  of  small  vessels  trade  among 
these  islands  for  furs.  The  leading  variety  is 
sea  otter,  a  great  many  of  which  are  taken 
hereabouts,  though  Belkoosky,  on  the  mainland, 
is  head  centre  for  these  skins.  Still  Unga  is 
much  resorted  to  for  fnrs,  as  the  numerous 
rocks  about  the  islands  are  frequented  by  tlie 
otter,  which  is  very  vabiable. 

The  sea  otter  is  said  to  be  the  shvest  of  ani- 
mals and  most  sensitive  to  the  presence  of  man 
or  any  —  to  them  —  unfamiliar  odoi'.  Hunters 
will  remain  for  months  on  a  rock  in  the  coldest 
and  wettest  of  winters  without  a  fire  or  any 
means  of  warming  their  food  or  sleeping-places, 
waiting  and  watching  for  their  prey.  They 
endure  the  most  severe  sufferings,  and  they 
have  their  rewards  in  skins  which  bring  them 
from  thirty  to  sixty  dollars  each.  But  such 
privations  as  the  hunters  imdergo  shorten  their 
lives,  and  what  might  be  needed  to  complete 
first-class  cases  of  consum})tion  is  found  in  the 
'"barabaras," — sod  huts  in  which  they  live,  half 
underground,  almost  entirely  in  the  dark,  and 
quite  without  ventilation.  Consunq)ti.)n  is  the 
great  agent  of  death  among  the  Aleuts,  as 
among  the   Alaskan  Indians,  while  rheumatism 


74  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

is  the  acute  disease  that  racks  their  bodies  with 
sharp  i)ains  through  life. 

Th(!  Siiuinai>in  Islands,  like  other  points 
visited  by  the  '"Iviish"  in  Alaska,  possess  the 
undesiral)lc  i)eculiarity  of  being  scant  in  soil  in 
moderately  dry  spots,  while  the  tops  of  hills  are 
swani[)s,  cold  and  unfathomable.  AVhat  at  a 
short  distance  looks  like  an  attractive  range  of 
rolling  hills  proves  on  close  inspection  to  be 
only  a  morass  in  mIucIi  a  sheep  would  be  lost 
unless  })rovided  with  a  cork  jacket.  ^^  hy 
white  men  should  leave  the  United  States  and 
settle  down  in  such  an  inhos[)ita])le  region  as 
this  is  almost  incomprehensi))lc,  except  on  the 
theory  that  they  have  had  a  rough  experience 
in  their  j)ast  lives,  or  have  retired  for  some 
good  reason  from  localities  which  once  knew 
them,  but  which  know  them  no  more. 

Yet  here  are  half  a  dozen  of  them,  and  until 
recently  the}'  labored  under  disadvantages  which 
the  natives  wei'(>  not  obliged  to  encounter,  for  all, 
except  natives,  were  forbidden  to  hunt.  This 
order  was  issued  with  a  view  of  preventing  out- 
siders from  crowding  in  here  to  destroy  the  sea 
otter,  and  thus  leave  the  natives  without  means 
of  earning  a  livelihood.  The  rule  has  recently 
been  modified  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Tre:isin-v, 
who  sont   out   circulars   announcing-  that  white 


THE  SHUMAGiy  ISLANDS.  iD 

men  married  to  native  women  would  be  con- 
sidered natives  in  regard  to  privileges  of  hunt- 
ing, which  is  consoling  to  the  men,  who  get 
their  citizenship  in  this  manner,  though  they 
always  hunted. 

Steerino-  around  amonof  the  Shumai>ins  by 
tortuous  courses,  and  avoiding  the  jagued  rocks, 
Avhich  stand  in  skirmish  line  deployed  from 
the  snow-covered  mountains,  Ave  come  to  Bel- 
koosky.  an  Aleutian  settlement  upon  a  point  of 
the  peninsula,  and  almost,  if  not  quite,  the  head 
centre  of  the  sea-otter  hunting.  Sea  otters  are 
found  among  the  rocks,  and  rocks  stick  out  of 
the  water  here  in  every  direction.  Belkoosky 
is  exposed  to  southeast  gales,  but  the  settle- 
ment was  not  established  as  a  pleasure  resort. 
If  it  had  been,  it  might  have  been  })laced  on  an 
arm  of  Belkoosky  Bay,  which  is  as  smooth  as 
a  mill-d;un.  lUit  r)elkoosky  Bay  in  that  part 
freezes  over,  and  the  ice  would  prevent  '' bidar- 
kies"  putting  out  with  the  seal  hunters,  while 
from  the  present  exposed  position  of  the  place 
the  sea  is  open  to  the  hunters  at  all  times. 
"NMien  people  live  by  the  sea  this  is  an  ad\'an- 
tage. 

The  Belkoosky  settlement  consists  mainly  of 
Aleuts,  all  members  of  the  Greek  cluuvh.  They 
live  much  as  the  people  do  at  Unga,  ])aying  no 


76  A    Til' IP   TO  ALASKA. 

attention  to  agriculture,  for  whicli  their  country 
is  but  poorly  adapted,  and  looking  to  the  sea 
for  the  necessaries  of  life.  Thej^  live  in  har- 
mony—  barring  family  squa])l)les  —  and  they 
do  not  ask  for  national  interference.  All  they 
seem  to  want  is  to  be  let  alone.  Onalaska, 
Atka,  Attou,  —  all  of  the  Aleutian  settle- 
ments,—  are  similarly  situated  in  regard  to 
government  and  politics.  The}'  have  none, 
and  they  do  not  seem  to  want  any. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

oxalaska's  shore. 

/^XALASKA  is  the  chief  settlement  of  the 
^-^  Aleiitiuu  Archipehigo.  ^"essels  from  here 
cruise  among  the  islands  to  eastward  and  \vest- 
ward,  bringing  in  the  sea-otter,  fox,  and  other 
furs.  At  the  time  of  our  arrival  one  warehouse 
contained  one  thousand  two  hundred  sea-otter 
skins,  worth  here  at  that  time  about  forty  dol- 
lars each.  Before  these  were  shipped  the  num- 
ber swelled  to  three  thousand,  worth  in  London 
some  two  hundred  and  twcnty-tive  thousand  dol- 
lars. This  will  represent,  perhaps,  two-thirds  of 
all  the  sea-otter  skins  furnished  to  the  world 
annually;  for  comparatively  t'o^v  go  from  any 
other  quarter.  The  sea  otter  has  a  tine,  close 
fur,  but  it  is  used  principally  for  trinnning, 
being  too  heavy  and  too  expensive  for  full  gar- 
ments. The  fur-seal  is  much  more  desirable 
for  cloaks  and  not  so  costly.  In  addition  to  sea 
otter,  black,  silver-gray,  cross,  and  red  foxes,  and 
other  land  furs,  mainly  from  Bristol  Bay,  centre 
here  for  shipment  to  San  Francisco,  and  when 


78  A    TRIP  TO  ALAtiKA. 

lumo^inof  in  the  warehouses  make  a  jjrand  dis- 
play.  Two  fur  coin})anies  had  head  quarters 
here  for  operations  east,  west,  and  northward. 

Like  all  other  Aleut  settlements  of  any  eon- 
secjuenee,  Onalaska  has  a  Kussian  church  ;  but 
here  the  priest,  Father  Shiesnekoo,  enjoys  a 
degree  of  contidence,  respect,  and  influence  not 
possessed  by  all  of  the  gown  in  Aleutia.  Some 
of  the  priests  in  Alaska  are  not  nmch  thought 
of.  It  was  reported  that  a  num1)er  of  them, 
along  with  some  from  San  Francisco,  were  to  be 
sent  to  Siberia,  and,  though  there  may  have  been 
grounds  for  the  supposition  that  the}^  ought  to 
go,  none  went.  It  may  not  ])e  generally  known 
that  the  Ivussian  government  l)a3s  the  salaries 
of  the  Greek  priests  in  America,  —  over  one 
hundred  thousand  rul)les  per  annum  being  sent 
by  the  Czar  to  the  San  Francisco  Consistory. 

The  Aleuts  are  all  mcmbei's  of  the  Greek 
faith.  The  forms  and  ceremonies  of  this 
church  are  better  suited  to  their  simple  minds 
than  those  of  any  (jther  Christian  denomination. 
It  is  full  of  mysteries,  and  that  is  what  they 
want  to  make  religion  palatable.  They  would 
not  i"cs})ect  a  doctrine  that  they  could  under- 
stand. Fntil  they  shall  have  been  further 
advanced  intellectually,  nothing  but  the  incom- 
l)rehensible  will  satisfy  their  sjjiritual  longings. 


ONALASKA'S  SHORE.  79 

The  meinbers  of  the  Russian  church  do  not 
sit  witliin  their  houses  of  worship.  The  ves- 
tibule of  er.ch  of  these  churches  opens  into 
a  o-orgeous  rotunda,  decorated  with  reb'frious 
pictures,  furnished  with  immense  sllver-phited 
chandeliers,  having  sconces  for  a  dozen  candles 
each.  Candelabrtv,  with  many  lights,  stand 
upon  a  raised  dais  and  reach  as  high  as  a  man's 
head.  In  the  centre,  facing  you  as  you  stand 
with  your  back  to  the  entrance,  is  a  lattice 
door,  on  the  inner  side  of  which  is  a  curtain 
concealing  whatever  may  be  within.  As  you 
enter,  the  congregation  stands  facing  the  screen, 
])ut  ])ack  from  the  rotunda.  The  men  stand 
upon  the  right,  the  women  on  the  left.  The 
singers  consist  of  men  and  l)()ys  led  b}'  tlie 
second  jn-iest.  In  Sitka  the  choir  had  a  posi- 
tion ])ehin(l  a  screen  to  the  rigiit  of  the  rotun- 
da. Here  in  Onalaska  they  occupy  a  narrow 
gallery,  ^diere  there  is  also  a  l)ench  for  visi- 
tors. 

There  may  be  no  priest  in  sight,  but  the  sing- 
ing in  a  monotonous  half-chant  continues  at  all 
times  when  the  priest  is  not  reading  or  ]n"aying. 
Presently  the  curtain  in  the  centres  is  drawn 
back,  an  altar  within  tlu^  xaiichini  saDcfortnii  is 
revealed,  and  a  priest  in  gorgeous  vestments 
and  wearinu-atall,  belUcrowned,  blue-velvet  hat, 


80  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

is  seen  reading,  praying,  or  swinging  a  censer. 
The  attendant  who  waits  upon  him  kisses  his 
hand  with  each  article  given  him,  and  crosses 
himself  as  he  passes  the  altar.  The  curtain  is 
drawn  again  and  the  holy  of  holies  is  once 
more  concealed  from  view. 

After  another  short  interval  the  priest  comes 
out  into  the  rotunda  by  a  side  door,  and  walks 
around  to  the  centre,  carrying  a  chalice  or 
some  other  portion  of  the  communion  service. 
As  he  appears,  the  peo})le  to  right  and  left  fall 
to  bending  and  crossing  themselves  as  rapidly 
as  possible.  The  youngsters  especially,  who 
are  kept  in  front,  toward  the  rotunda,  l)end  like 
growinor  "■rain  in  a  sunnner's  aale,  and  cross 
themselves  as  if  troubled  by  mosquitoes. 
Hands  fly  from  forehead  to  breast,  and  from 
shoulder  to  shoulder,  while  the  body  ])cnds  and 
SAvays,  and  occasionally  a  forehead  touches  the 
floor,  the  devout  worshipper  being  down  on 
hands  and  knees. 

The  priest  walks  slowly  around  toward  the 
raised  platform  in  the  centre  and  disa|)pears  in 
the  inner  room,  which  is  elevated  a  foot  or  two 
al)()ve  the  rotunda.  The  latticed  doors  meet 
l)ehind  him,  and,  as  the  chalice  is  placed  upon 
the  little  altar,  the  curtain  again  shuts  out  the 
view  from  the   conirre<>:ation,   who   stand  with 


OJVALASKA'S  SHORE.  81 

bowed  heads  mentally  repeating  prayers,  as 
would  appear  from  their  frequent  crossings. 
Now  the  nnsteries  of  transub.stantiation  are 
taking  place.  Shortly  the  curtain  is  again 
thrown  back,  the  priest  walks  out  with  a  silver 
chalice  and  spoon,  takes  position  on  the  lower 
step  of  the  dais,  and  a  number  of  women,  with 
children  in  their  arms,  step  forward  one  at  a 
time.  Tlie  youngsters  are  from  a  few  months 
to  two  years  of  age,  and  as  they  are  held  up 
the  priest  takes  a  small  portion  of  the  contents 
of  the  chalice  in  the  spoon  and  inserts  it  in  the 
child's  mouth.  The  forehead  of  the  child  is 
touched  Avith  the  chalice,  and  the  ceremony  of 
communion  is  completed. 

Altogether  the  service  is  such  as  could  not 
fail  to  make  a  profound  impression  on  the 
minds  of  humble  people  like  the  Aleuts;  and  as 
they  stand  bowing  and  crossing  themselves,  or 
touching  their  foreheads  to  the  tioor,  the  young- 
est girls,  with  small  colored  shawls,  worsted 
scarfs,  or  ])right  htmdkerchiefs  over  their  heads 
and  about  their  full  olive  faces,  the  young- 
ladies  in  hats  somewhat  gay  with  blue  and  white 
ribbons  and  feathers,  the  older  women  in  head- 
gear of  a  more  subdued  character,  the  effect  is 
exceedingly  })i('turcs(|ue.  As  to  I'eligioii.  it  is 
with  these  [)('o[)Ie  a   matter  of  faith,   pure  and 


82  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

unadulteruted.  It  is  the  priest's  Inisiness  to 
conduct  them  to  heaven.  All  they  have  to  do 
is  what  they  are  told,  and  this  tlic]^  aj^jpear 
to  do  in  great  earnestness,  at  least  in  form. 

The  Kussians  had  the  advantage  over  others 
in  dealing  with  these  people,  which  is  the  result 
of  both  using  the  same  language  and  of  long 
domination,  which  completely  subjected  them 
to  the  will  of  what  they  for  generations  felt 
be  a  superior  race  backed  by  mdimited  ])o\ver. 
The  children  got  some  exceedingly  j)rimitive 
rudiments  of  l)ook  knowledge  in  the  Russian 
language,  but  not  enough  to  hurt  them  with  all 
the  proverbial  })erils  of  limited  learning.  Xow 
the  Alaska  Conmiercial  Compan}'  su})ports  an 
English  school  upon  this  as  u})on  each  of  the 
seal  islands,  lentil  English  l)ccomes  the  lan- 
guage of  the  countr\',  American  missionaries 
need  not  look  to  do  much  })rosel3ting  from  the 
liussian  church.  In  ti'uth  there  does  not  seem 
to  l)e  any  reason  why  the\'  should.  The  Aleuts 
are  ])eaceful  and  contimted,  and  will  ask  for 
nothing  that  their  present  condition  does  not 
atlbrd  them  until  their  characters  shall  ha^■e 
b;'cn  changed  l)y  the  intermingling  of  Anglo- 
Saxon  blood.  A\'hen  this  occurs  they  may 
want  ])olitics  and  an  imi)r()ved  religion. 

.lust  now  the}'  get  along  very  well,  all  things 


OXALA!<KA'S    SHORE.  83 

considered.  They  are  lazy,  but,  as  they  have 
to  subsist  on  tish  and  oil  as  staples,  it  could  not 
])e  expected  that  they  should  be  enterprising 
or  industrious.  They  may  sin,  but  they  go 
to  confession  and  are  guaranteed  forgiveness. 
They  go  to  church  on  Sunday  morning  and 
have  a  dance  in  the  evening.  A  dance  on  Sun- 
day night  is  considered  a  very  proper  thing, 
and  as  there  is  no  gossip  and  nothing  stronger 
than  tea  for  them  to  drink,  })crha[)s  no  great 
harm  comes  of  it.  Onalaska  consists  of  a  strag- 
gling settlement  of  some  sixty  houses  of  natives 
and  a  few  Company  buildings,  situated  upon  a 
sand-spit,  about  six  miles  from  C  aptain's  Ijay, 
where  Cook,  the  navigator,  wintered  in  1804-5. 
The  original  Aleutian  iiouses  are  called  bara- 
baras,  l)eing  nothing  more  nor  less  tlinn  such 
constructions  as  are  known  in  the  States  by 
the  name  of  root-houses.  They  are  earthen  huts, 
the  tloors  of  "which  are  about  two  feet  below  the 
outside  surface.  They  are  sup})lied  with  one 
door  and  a  small  Avindow.  being  dam}i,  dark, 
and  dirty.  From  a  sanitary  point  of  view 
they  are  not  to  be  compared  with  the  Indian 
tepees  on  the  }:»lains.  which  are  light  and  well 
ventilated.  These  barabaras  are  constructed 
with  a  view  to  obtaining  the  gieatest  amount 
of   warmth    for    the    >mallest    cx})cnditure    of 


84  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

fuel,  for  ill  former  times  fuel  was  exceedingly 
scarce. 

Since  leaviiiir  Kadink,  about  seven  hundred 
miles  to  the  eastward,  we  have  not  seen  any 
standing  timber  larger  than  a  walking-stick. 
At  present  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company 
brings  up  coal  from  Nanaimo  for  use  on  board 
their  vessels  and  in  their  offices  and  other  build- 
ings, but  previous  to  this  the  only  fuel  in  use 
on  these  islands  was  drift  from  the  northward 
and  a  viney  sort  of  shrub  called  "chik-a-snik." 
Native  women  now  go  up  to  the  mountains,  and 
they  do  not  have  far  to  go,  where  the}'  gather 
the  "timber,"  which  is  rolled  into  bundles  like 
hay,  and  carried  down  upon  their  l)acks.  These 
women  may  l)e  seen  coming  over  the  hills  in 
single  file,  loaded  down  with  "  chik-a-snik," 
like  pack  trains  in  the  mines.  They  are  Chris- 
tians, but,  when  loaded,  look  very  much  like 
sfjuaws  unconverted. 

When  chik-a-snik  wa^^  the  only  fuel,  as  it  is 
still  with  a  great  majority  of  the  Aleuts,  the 
l)arabara  was  found  to  bo  the  warmest  habita- 
tion for  the  people.  They  boil  tea  water  with 
chik-a-snik  as  fuel,  and  that  is  the  principal 
part  of  their  cookery.  Their  fish  is  also  pre- 
pared over  it  Mlien  not  eaten  raw.  For  warmth 
the}-  formerly  depended  on  their  fur  and  feather 


ON  ALASKA'S  SHORE.  85 

clothing  and  crowding  together  in  close  quar- 
ters. At  present  some  of  the  natives  occupy, 
rent-free,  small  frame  houses,  built  and  owned 
by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company. 

The  villages  of  Unga  and  Belkoosky,  farther 
to  the  eastward,  are  similar  to  Onalaska  in  the 
matter  of  huts,  diet,  and  fuel,  but  they  are  not 
such  important  settlements  as  this.  The  natives 
live  principally  in  barabaras ;  they  rely  on 
driftwood  and  chik-a-snik  for  fuel ;  they  hunt 
the  sea  otter  for  wealth,  subsist  principally  on 
fish,  and  profess  the  Greek  Catholic  faith.  As 
a  rule  they  are  not  neat  in  their  persons  and 
seldom  attractive  in  appearance.  Some  of  the 
women  are  taught  to  dress  after  the  style  of  the 
humbler  of  their  more  enlightened  sisters,  ])ut 
the  general  effect  presented  by  them  as  they 
attend  to  their  various  duties  is  not  very  fasci- 
nating. 

The  ])idarkie  is  a  boat  used  by  the  Aleuts 
in  hunting  and  tishing.  A  frame  fifteen  to 
twenty  feet  in  length  is  constructed  of  narrow 
light  strips  of  wood,  lashed  together  with 
thongs  of  seal  skin,  and  this  frame  is  covered 
with  skins  of  sea  lion,  from  which  the  hair 
has  been  scraped.  The  seams  are  closed  with 
grease,  and  as  the  entire  frame  is  covered  over 
with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  round  hatches 


86  A    TBI  I'    TO  A  LA, 'SKA. 

or  holes  for  the  paddlers  to  sit  in,  they  have  a 
craft  light  and  seawoi'thy.  One  or  two,  some- 
times three,  men  will  go  to  sea  in  one  of  these 
frail  ])arks,  and  though  the  waves  may  da-sh 
over  them,  no  water  is  shipped  so  long  as  the 
frame  holds  together.  In  addition  to  the  pad- 
dlers, who  sit  in  the  liatches,  their  wives  and 
children  are  sometimes  stowed  away  in  the  hold, 
so  that  the\'  are  entirely  out  of  sight  within  the 
boat,  lying  between  the  feet  and  legs  of  the 
men.     Fish  and  i'urs  are  similarly  transported. 

At  Kadiak  the  natives  use  a  single  paddle, 
shaped  like  a  narrow  and  [)ointed  si)ade,  but 
the  peo})le  to  the  westward  of  that  island  invari- 
a))h'  have  doul)le-bladed  paddles,  Avhich  they  dip 
alternately  port  and  stai'l)oard.  The  ])idarkie 
is  constructed  somewhat  after  the  model  of  a 
workinji-boat,  but  so  liuht  on  the  Avater  that 
a  person  not  accustomed  to  navigating  it  is 
extremely  lial)lc  to  ca])size,  unless  having  an 
expert  on  board  to  balance  the  craft.  The 
natives  are  very  dextci-ous  in  the  management 
of  the  bidarkies,  as  may  be  supposed. 

Xo  matter  where  human  beings  may  be  cast 
away,  tlun'  acconmiodate  themselves  to  their 
surroundings.  Here  is  a  peo})le  who,  living  in 
a  foggy,  rainy,  cold,  inhospitable  country,  go 
to  work  and  produce  ever}'  article  necessary  to 


OyALA^'^iKA'S  SHORE.  87 

their  existence.  They  catch  fish,  Avhich  is  dried 
for  Aviuter  use  and  soaked  in  oil  to  make  it 
digestible.  The  seal  is  captured  for  meat  and 
clothing.  Sea-lion  skins  are  used  for  the  con- 
struction  of  boats,  in  which  the  natives  ply 
their  trade.  The  intestines  of  the  seal  are  pre- 
pared for  the  manufacture  of  waterproof  shirts. 
Waterproof  boots  are  made,  with  sea-lion  flip- 
pers for  soles,  seal  fiip[)ers  for  uppers,  and 
walrus  throats  for  tops.  The  sea  is  watched  for 
wood,  the  mountains  are  climbed  for  the  viney 
chik-a-snik,  a  light  fuel,  but  still  of  service, 
"svhale  sinews  are  used  for  thread,  walrus  ivory 
for  spears,  and  tanned  bird-skins  for  parkies, 
or  outside  robes,  which  are  worn  in  dry,  winter 
weather,  and  warm  garments  the}'  are.  So 
situated  and  provided  for,  the  Aleuts  are  con- 
tented and  attached  to  their  homes,  fond  of  their 
cliildren  and  wives,  seldom  beating  them  except 
in  the  way  of  kindness. 

As  I  have  said  that  the  Aleutian  Islands  are 
not  suitable  for  agricultural  or  pastoral  pur- 
poses, justice  demands  the  admission  that  a 
dozen  head  of  cattle,  a  flock  of  about  twenty 
sheep,  numerous  chickens,  and  a  fe\v  pigs  are 
>iiQ\\  in  Onalaska.  but  their  'presence  is  not  due 
to  nor  appreciated  by  the  Aleuts.  Traders 
own   and    cherish    them.      The    natives    would 


8S  A    TRIP   TO  ALA>>KA. 

rather  lla^'e  a  dead  whale  drift  asliore  than  to 
own  the  best  croj)  of  the  Ijiao-est  farm  in  the 
United  States.  Dead  M'hale  is  a  great  blessing 
in  the  Aleutian  part  of  our  Alaska  possessions, 
and  agricultural  products  are  hut  little  sought 
after  or  valued.  The  dead  Avhale  may  be  so 
putrid  that  the  etHuvia  arising  from  it  will 
blacken  the  white  })aint  of  a  vessel  lying  one 
hundred  3'ards  distant,  but,  all  the  same,  the 
whale  is  a  blessing. 

]Men  and  boys  dig  holes  through  the  mon- 
ster's skin  and  descend  into  the  lower  regions 
to  excavate  the  choice  parts.  Children  claw 
out  long  strips  of  l)lubl)er,  on  one  end  of  which 
they  begin  and  chew  until,  inch  by  inch,  yards 
of  it  disappear,  and  their  little  round  ])ellies  are 
puffed  out  like  aldermanic  paunches,  while  the 
oil  runs  in  two  small  streams  down  from  the 
corners  of  their  sweet  baby  mouths  —  and  they 
are  happy. 


CHAPTER  X. 

SEALSKIN    SACQUES. 

rpHE  seal  "fisheries'"  of  the  Piy])ilov  Islands 
-*-  in  Behi'inu:  Sea  control  tiie  markets  of  the 
Avorld  in  the  connnodity  which  they  })roduce 
in  greatest  al^undance.  Of  the  two  i.shuids  in 
the  group  upon  which  the  fur  seal  is  taken,  8t. 
Paul  furnishes  eighty  thousand  skins  annually, 
which  is  about  one-half  of  all  that  arc  sent  to 
market. 

The  fur  sealskins  of  the  M'orld  are  mainly 
taken  as  follows  :  St.  Paul's,  eighty  thousand  ; 
St.  George's,  t\venty  thousand  (one  hundred 
tliousand  from  these  two  islands  ])ciiig  all  that 
our  government  authorizes  the  lessees  to  take)  ; 
from  Cop[)er  and  Pchring  Islands,  on  the 
Asiatic  side  of  Behring  Sea,  twenty-five  thou- 
sand;  mouth  of  the  La  Plata  Iviver,  P)razil, 
about  five  thousand  ;  Crozctte  Islands,  Indian 
Ocean,  fifteen  hundred  ;  from  Shetland  and 
Falkland  Islands,  otf  Cape  Horn,  five  thousand, 

89 


90  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

and  a  fow  hundreds  from  Robbin's  Island,  in  the 
Okhot!?k  Sea.  In  all  perhaps  less  than  one 
hundred  and  sixty  thousand  sealskins  are  taken 
annually,  including  those  which  are  shot  along 
the  coast  from  California  to  Alaska.  Although 
less  than  live  thousand  are  taken  annually  on 
the  Shetlands  and  Falklands,  not  less  than 
twenty  thousand  so-called  ''Shetland  fur  seal- 
skins" are  sold  every  year.  The  possibility  of 
such  an  incoherent  state  of  trade  is  one  of  the 
})eculiaritics  of  commerce,  caused  by  the  fact 
that  the  Shetland  fur  seals  are  supposed  to  be 
the  best  in  the  world.  But  the  Alaska  fur  seals 
are  perhaps  the  best. 

R()l)1)in's  Reef,  in  the  Okhotsk  Sea,  was  once 
a  rich  fur  field,  but  the  seals  have  been  almost 
exterminated  or  driven  away.  The  first  seals 
discovered  on  Robl)ins  Reef  were  found  by  a 
cruiser  named  Allen,  from  Xcw  London,  Con- 
necticut, alxnit  tweniy-fi\e  years  ago.  Allen 
Avas  an  old  whaler,  who  had  lived  ashore  for  a 
numl)er  of  years,  ])ut  in  18.58  he  set  out  in  a 
new  ship  to  cruise  for  oil.  Touching  at  Rol)- 
bin's  Reef,  he  found  fur  seals  there  in  such 
munber  as  to  enable  him  to  make  uj)  a  very  \alua- 
ble  cargo  of  tlieir  skins.  lie  loaded  and  hurried 
down  to  Honolulu  for  salt  to  preserve  them, 
and  finally  got  his  prize  safely  to  market.     The 


SEALSKIN  SACQUES.  91 

profits  of  that  voyage  paid  for  his  new  ship  and 
enabled  the  jolly  old  sea  dog  to  retire  once 
more  and  live  happily  ever  afterward ;  but 
within  two  years  the  seals  were  nearly  extermi- 
nated in  that  locality. 

When  we  purchased  Ahiska  we  obtained, 
along  with  an  inmiense  amount  of  worthless  ter- 
ritory, two  islands  in  Behring's  Sea  which  are  a 
mine  of  wealth,  inexhaustible  and  incalculable 
in  value  so  long  as  properly  managed.  The 
largest  of  these  two  islands,  St.  Paul's,  is 
situated  in  north  latitude  57^  8'  and  west  longi- 
tude 170°  13',  and  is  about  twelve  miles  long 
by  eight  wide  between  extreme  points.  St. 
George's  is  situated  forty  miles  to  the  southward 
from  St.  Paul's.  From  these  two  islands  one 
hundred  thousand  fur  sealskins  —  and,  according 
to  law,  no  more  —  may  be  taken  annualh'.  As 
they  form  the  most  extensive  and  valuable  fur 
seal  fisheries  in  the  known  world,  some  ac- 
count of  what  occurs  here  may  be  acceptable 
to  the  ladies  if  to  no  other  readers,  for  every 
lady  is  supposed  to  have  a  sealskin  sacquc,  or 
is  suspected  o£  a  desire  to  own  one  :  and  of 
course  she  should  know  something  about  the 
origin  of  the  garment  she  wears.  This  knowl- 
edge, however,  must  be  limited  at  best,  for  the 
comino-s  and  a'oinus  of  the  fur  seal  are  so  en- 


92  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

veloped  in  mystery  that  a  u^reat  deal  about  their 
inoveinents  is  merely  conjectural. 

The  Prybilov  Islands  are  named  in  honor  of 
a  Kussian  trader,  who  discovered  them  a  hun- 
dred years  ago,  when  sealskin  sacques  were  not 
so  much  in  vouue  as  now.  There  were  many 
liussian  traders  among  the  Aleutian  Islands  in 
those  days,  and  it  Avas  Avhile  hunting  tor  new 
sea-otter  grounds  for  his  employers  that  Pry- 
bilov  discovered  St.  George's,  one  hundred  and 
ninety  miles  north  of  the  nearest  point  of  the 
Aleutian  Archipelago.  St.  Paul's  Mas  discov- 
ered during  the  foHowing  year.  AVhen  tirst 
found,  the  islands,  M'hich  are  of  comparativeh' 
recent  volcanic  formation,  had  no  inhabitants, 
Aleuts  ])ciiig  brought  in  l)y  the  Pussians  for  the 
Avork  of  sealing.  For  a  number  of  years  (Pry- 
bilov's  discovery  soon  ]:)ecoming  known  to  the 
other  traders)  there  Mas  great  competition  and 
an  indiscriminate  slaugiiter  of  seals,  whi(,'h 
threatened  their  extinction  :  but  later  the  Rus- 
sian govermnent  leased  all  Alaska  to  one  com- 
})any.  and  then  steps  were  taken  to  prevent  the 
extermination  of  the  valuable  animal. 

The  seals  were  protected  so  as  to  }'ield  a 
certain  revenue  till  Alaska  was  transferred  to 
the  United  States,  when,  during  the  intei'reg- 
nuni  between  the  departure  of  the  Kussians  and 


SEALSKIN  SACQtIES.  93 

installation  of  our  government  in  actual  posses- 
sion, a  general  onslaught  was  made  by  every 
whaler  and  trader  under  the  American  flao-  in 
these  waters,  so  that  extermination  of  the  seals 
again  seemed  imminent.  Finally  the  isltmds 
were  leased  to  one  company,  to  the  exclusion  of 
all  others,  but  with  limitations  as  to  the  number  of 
skins  —  not  exceeding  one  hundred  thousand  — 
to  be  taken  aimuallj'.  Under  this  arningement 
the  number  of  seals  is  steadily  increasing,  and 
the  lessees  pay  about  three  hundred  thousand 
dollars  annually  into  the  Treasury.  Competi- 
tion in  seal  slaughter  would  destroy  all  the  seals 
and  this  revenue  within  two  years. 

The  matured  male  fur  seal,  when  he  draws  up 
out  of  the  ocean  after  a  six  or  eight  months' 
cruise  in  waters  to  us  unknown,  is  a  magnificent 
animal.  Bold,  bad,  and  beautiful,  he  takes  a 
position  in  May  among  the  basaltic  rocks  which 
are  washed  by  the  surf  in  storms,  1)races  his 
broad  chest  upon  his  fore  flippers,  stretches  his 
heavily  maned,  glossy,  undulating  neck,  throws 
his  tapering  head  aloft,  and  roars  forth  a  hoarse 
bellow  of  defiance  to  all  the  world.  He  closes 
with  a  guttural  growl  tliat  sounds  like  two 
quarts  of  pel)bles  rattling  in  his  throat ;  while 
do\\'n  by  the  corners  of  his  threatening  mouth, 
stockaded  witli  ivory  fangs,  droop  the  long, 
gray  lines  of  his  aristocratic  moustache. 


9i  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

Here  he  takes  his  stand,  and  in  this  position 
he  will  meet  his  expected  family,  or  death.  In 
the  full  vigor  and  power  of  a  perfect  physical 
condition,  he  may  be  killed,  but  cannot  be  driven 
away  from  the  around  which  he  has  chosen  U>v 
his  seraglio,  for  he  is  a  polygamist  of  the  most 
uncompromising  character. 

In  June  comes  his  multitudinous  bride.  The 
male  fur  seal  is  a  huge,  but  symmetrical,  brown- 
ish bulk  of  six  to  eight  hundred  pounds.  The 
female  is  a  meek,  modest,  suljmissive-looking 
little  creature  averaging  about  a  hundred- 
weight. She  creeps  up  out  of  the  Avater  with  a 
demure,  downcast  countenance,  with  the  shining- 
hair  neatly  brushed  back  from  her  pretty  little 
head,  and — arrayed  in  a  brown  sacque,  think 
you?  Xot  at  all.  She  is  a  Quakerish  looking 
matron  in  unpretending  steel  gray,  l)ut  sleek 
and  tidy,  without  a  wrinkle  in  her  dress. 

There  could  not  ])e  a  greater  contrast  in 
seeming  than  that  between  the  male  and  female 
fur  seal.  lie,  aggressive,  fierce,  and  ))1()()(1- 
thirsty  ;  she,  meek  and  lowly,  but,  as  rumors 
go,  sly  withal,  and  were  she  sole  mistress  of  her 
lord's  afl'ections  would,  no  doubt,  exhil)it  a 
temper  of  her  own.  Competition  keeps  her 
spirit  down,  poor  thing.  There  are  more 
females    than   males. 


SEALSKIN  SACQUES.  95 

Both  male  and  female  seals  are  perfect 
models  of  grace  and  symmetry.  There  is  not 
an  angle  in  the  contour  of  either,  Imt  in  size, 
color,  and  character  \\i.ey  are  opposites.  One 
represents  strength  and  courage,  the  other 
timidity   and   affection. 

The  baby  seals  are  black,  playful  little  imps, 
that  roll  and  wrestle  with  each  other  on  the 
grass,  kiss  and  quarrel,  learn  from  their  fond 
mammas  how  to  swim,  and  start  out  on  their 
first  voyage  to  sea  in  autumn,  or  furnish  the 
Aleuts  with  veal  through  the  winter.  Some 
ma\'  swim  and  some  must  boil  in  their  baby- 
hood. Some  are  swallowed  by  sharks  or 
"  killers,"'  and  some  return  to  celebrate  their 
birth  anniversary  where  they  first  saw  the 
fog.  In  their  second  year  they  are  safe  on 
the  Prybilov  Islands,  but  exposed  to  danger 
alono;  the  coast,  where  neither  ao;e  nor  sex 
is  spared  l)y  those  who  may  be  able  to  shoot 
or  spear  them.  During  their  third  year  the 
males  may  be  rapped  on  the  sconce  at  St, 
Paul's  or  St.  George's,  wherever  they  haul 
out,  and  in  their  fourth  year  their  chances 
for  living  to  old  age  are  considerably  less. 
At  five  years  thev  are  comparatively  safe 
again ;  at  six,  assurance  i)olicies  might  be 
issued    to    them    at    small   })remiums ;     and    at 


96  A    TlilP  TO  ALASKA. 

eight  they  have  nothing  to  fear  from  the  lessees 
of  the  Prybilov  group. 

The  "'  pup  "  seals  may  be  killed  by  the  natives 
in  the  fall  in  sufficient  numbers  to  afford  food 
during  the  winter ;  but  the  fur  sealskin  is  not 
marketable  before  the  second  year ;  they  are  at 
their  best  when  the  animal  is  four  or  five  years 
old,  but  after  six  the  coating  of  the  hide  runs 
gradually  from  fur  to  hair,  till  the  latter  pre- 
dominates and  tlie  skin  is  not  valuable.  The 
females  are  never  killed  here,  unless  by  accident, 
when  slaughtering  a  drove. 

The  coast  lines  of  the  two  islands  are 
largely  occupied  by  what  are  known  as  "rook- 
eries," or  breeding-grounds  of  the  seal,  which 
come  here  once  a  year.  A  sandy  ])each  is  not 
much  favored  by  the  seals.  They  select  locali- 
ties where  basaltic  boulders  al)ound  as  plenti- 
fully as  hills  in  a  potato  patch,  and  considerably 
larger.  The  "  bulls,"  as  they  are  technically 
called,  arrive  first.  AVhere  they  go  in  the  fall, 
or  where  they  come  from  in  the  spring,  is  mainly 
conjectural,  but  as  soon  as  the  ice  melts  or 
floats  from  the  shores  of  tliesc  islands  the  bulls 
appear  and  take  positions  among  the  rocks,  all 
laying  claim  to  tracts  nearly  uniform  in  size  and 
shape,  about  twenty  feet  in  diameter,  on  an 
average.      Some  seasons  are  so  late  in  opening 


SEALSKIN  SAC  QUE  S.  97 

that  the  ice  is  dug  away  from  the  sliores  by 
the  company's  employees  in  order  to  permit  the 
seals  to  land. 

The  first  to  arrive  are  the  strongest  of  the 
seals,  and  th(\v  lake  u\)  claims  nearest  the 
Avater.  Thos{!  which  are  later  or  Avcakcr  are 
driven  further  hack  to  less  desirable  places. 
]\light  makes  right  in  these  matters,  —  seals 
which  arc  not  lirst-class  fighters  going  to  the 
wall  or  u})  the  bluff.  It  is  a  case  of  the 
survival    of  the  Jj'jJdeat. 

The  old  bulls  occupy  their  pre-emptions  for 
weeks  without  going  into  the  water,  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  the  females,  sleeping  upon  their 
ground,  neither  eating  nor  drinking  during  that 
time.  This,  however,  is  hut  preliminary  to  a 
much  longer  vigil  and  fast,  which  continues  for 
three  months  after  the  ai'rival  of  the  females. 
During  this  time  they  live  by  al)s()rption  of 
the  blubber  which  they  accumulate  while 
away.  AMien  they  depart  they  are  Aveak  and 
lean.  When  they  return  they  are  sleek  and 
fat. 

If  there  is  lighting  over  the  pre-emj^tion  and 
holding  of  ground  for  the  hnrcm,  there  is  a 
much  greater  struggle  a  few  weeks  later.  AMicn 
the  females  arrive  the  old  Turks  in  waiting 
dance  down   to  the  water's  edue   to  escort  them 


98  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

to  the  liurcnis.  Then  the  fio-hting'  bejiins  in 
earnest,  the  eontestants  tearing  clunn)s  of  fur 
out  of  eaeh  other  for  the  })rivilege  of  doing  the 
lionors  and  taking  the  party  in  steel-gray  under 
their  ])rotection.  Half  a  dozen  males  nia}'  be 
engaged  for  a  moment  in  a  very  rough  and 
indiscriminate  tunil)le  over  a  new  arrival,  but 
when  the  water  is  tilled  with  new  comers  there 
is  no  time  to  Ije  Avastcd  in  prolonged  struggles, 
and  as  soon  as  one  gallant  is  driven  out  of  a 
contest  he  turns  his  attention  to  the  nearest 
other  charmer  that  may  be  landing.  And  thus 
aifairs  are  so  conducted  that  the  honors  are 
pretty  evenly  distributed  along  the  water  front 
and  for  a  iew  rows  l)ack  from  the  landing;  but 
the  elder]}'  rakes  to  the  rear  are  often  left  to 
sigh  in  celil)acy  all  sunmier,  Avhile  more  fortunate 
lords  of  the  seal  kingdom  revel  in  the  Utopian 
hixury  of  fifteen  ^ives  a})iece. 

There  are  several  classes  of  male  seals  which 
are  de})rived  of  the  delights  and  refining  in- 
fhu'nces  of  female  society.  There  are  young- 
bachelors  which  have  never  yet  had  the  courage 
to  go  in  and  tight  for  a  claim,  being  a})})arenlly 
Uwed  into  remaining  at  a  res})ectal)le  and  safe 
distance  from  the  })otent  brown  and  tawny 
seniors.  These  vouuij  fellows  haul  out  in 
crowds  of  thousands  by  themselves  close  to  tlie 


SEALSKIN  SAC  QUE  S.  99 

water  and  not  far  distant  from  the  serasflios. 
They  are  from  one  to  four  or  five  years  ohl, 
and  they  alternate  their  pastimes  ])etween 
lying  on  their  backs  among  the  rocks  —  where 
they  fan  their  heated  bodies  with  a  hind  tii[)per, 
if  it  is  a  Avnrm  <hy  day  —  and  getting  down  into 
the  water  in  front  of  the  ohl  Turks"  sunnncr 
residences  where  they  endeavor  with  varying 
success  to  draw  the  females  into  sly  flirta- 
tions. 

Notwithstanding  the  fierce  jealousy  with 
which  the  females  are  watched  and  guarded, 
and  contrary  to  what  would  be  expected  from 
their  meek  and  sanctified  a})pearance.  th(n'e 
are  breaches  of  decorum  occasionally,  which  ito 
conscientious  person  would  attempt  to  defend, 
and  elopements  which,  of  course,  cannot  be 
excused  and  may  be,  possibly,  never  forgiven. 
Some  of  these  romantic  affairs  lead  to  serious 
consequences,  many  a  young  fellow  retiring 
from  them  so  out  of  repair  as  to  seriously  depre- 
ciate his  marketable  value. 

In  cases  of  elopement  the  gay  Lothario  is 
generally  handled  according  to  the  custom  of 
the  world  in  such  cases,  and  his  guilty  jiartncr 
treated  with  great  leniency  :  but  tluM'e  are  excep- 
tions. Tn  lead  of  quietly  and  carefully  taking 
her  by  the  back  of  the  neck  and  carr\'inii'  her  to 


100  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

the  domestic  circle  as  at  first  lan(lin<x,  lici'  lord 
and  master,  provoked  out  of  further  forljcar- 
ancc  1)}'  frequent  escapades,  will  sometimes 
g'allop  through  the  famil}',  knocking  his  other 
^vi^•es  right  and  left,  bouncing  over  the  babies  in 
his  anger  and  indignation,  and,  overtaking  the 
female  tleeing  from  her  home,  thrashes  her  so 
soundly  with  his  Hippers  that  she  puts  up  her 
little  nose  to  his,  kisses  him  in  token  of  sub- 
mission and  better  behavior,  and  then  crecjjs 
l)ack,  apparently  subdued  and  deeply  })enilent. 

It  is  i)ainful,  however,  to  ])e  com})elled  to 
admit  that  many  elopements  succeed,  particu- 
larly toward  the  close  of  the  season,  when  the 
lords  of  the  rookeries  are  worn  out  with  watch- 
ing and  fasting.  Then  the  young  fellows  out 
in  the  surf  practice  their  most  fascinating  antics 
to  attract  attention,  and  many  a  mother,  osten- 
sibly going  down  to  teach  her  l)al)y  seal  to 
swim,  returns  no  more,  and  so,  gi-adually,  the 
social  circle  on  shore  is  broken  up  for  the 
season. 

Seal  killing  on  these  islands  for  furs  is  neai'ly 
all  done  in  about  six  weeks  —  from  rlune  10  to 
July  20.  When  seals  are  Avanted  for  meat  the 
"pups"  are  preferi-ed,  but  foi'  fur  the  four-year 
olds  are  considerc<l  ])est.  Awkward  as  seals 
may  ap})ear  when  moxing  on  land,  they  can  got 


SEALSKIN  SAUqUES.  101 

over  the  ground  as  fast,  for  a  few  rods  and 
under  favorable  circumstances,  as  a  man  would 
care  to  run.  Their  powers  of  locomotion  arc 
almost  entirely  confined  to  the  forequarters,  the 
<>utta-percha-like  character  of  the  flippers  scrv- 
inii'  to  raise  the  Ijody  and  pr()})cl  it  forward. 
The  hinder  portion  of  the  body,  when  the  seal 
travels  on  land,  works  somewhat  after  the 
fashion  of  an  angle  worm  or  caterjnllar,  gather- 
ing itself  together  and  springing  forward  as  if 
connected  with  the  fore(|uarters  by  some  power- 
ful elastic  attachment.  AVith  the  fore  flii)pers 
the  seal  can  raise  itself  upon  a  rock  or  knoll  two 
feet  in  height,  and  as  the  animal  is  strong  the 
hinder  })arts  are  compelled  to  follow.  The  hind 
flippers,  which  act  as  rudders  when  in  the 
water,  draij  alonor  when  the  animal  moves  on 
land,  like  a  couple  of  four-button  kid  gloves 
pinned  upon  the  rear  extremity  of  a  lady's 
dress.  In  the  water  the}'  are  quite  handy  for 
steering,  but  on  land  they  only  go  for  orna- 
ments, or  for  fans  on  proper  occasions. 

The  best  time  for  dri\ing  fur  seals  is  on  a 
rainy  day,  when  the  sun  is  ol)scured  and  the 
grass  is  wet,  enabling  the  hinder  portion  of  the 
body  to  slide  along  as  easily  and  elegantly  as  a 
dress-train  on  a  velvet  carpet.  On  a  dn',  sun- 
shiny dav  they  cannot  ])e  driven,  Ijut,  bccomins: 


102  A    TIUP  TO   ALASKA. 

heated,  full  prostrute,  and  will  not  rise  for  any 
amount  of  threatening.  On  such  days,  too,  if 
not  disturbed,  they  lie  on  their  backs  at  the 
hauling  i)laccs,  fanning  themselves  Avith  their 
hind  flippers,  the  rookeries  then  reminding  one 
of  the  fluttering  in  a  crowded  theatre  or  full 
church  during  the  heated  term ;  but  the  seal 
fans  are  black  and  noiseless,  the  latter  being  a 
quality  not  sufficiently  considered  by  some 
ladies  in  cultured  assemblages. 

Seals  being  fat  and  scant  of  breath,  and 
dressed  in  an  exceedingly  inappropriate  suit 
for  hot  weather,  seek  out  a  climate  of  fog 
and  rain  for  their  summering  places.  That  is 
one  reason  why  they  come  to  the  Pryl)ilov 
Islands,  ■where  mists  and  gloom  ])revail  during 
the  summer  months,  sunshine  being  a  rarity 
and  an  aljomination  to  the  seal  hunters.  On 
favorable  days  a  l)and  of  bachelor  seals  may  be 
driven  live  or  six  miles,  and  •when  the  air  is 
very  cool,  the  grass  wet,  and  the  sky  cloudy, 
they  can  l)e  pushed  a  mile  in  an  hour.  Yet  they 
are  not  generally  considered  notable  pedes- 
trians. For  driving,  the  men  carry  staffs  lour 
or  five  feet  in  length,  and  M'ith  this  wea])()n 
they  go  among  the  seals,  opening  avenues  and 
cutting  off  })orlions  of  the  l)and  at  })leasure. 

The  seals  are    never  killed  near  the  "rook- 


SEALSKIN  SAC  QUE  S.  103 

eries"  or  hauling  grounds,  upon  Avhieh  they  land 
from  the  sea,  but  are  driven  away  back  to  the 
settlement  ^vhen  possible,  tiiough  in  some  cases 
they  are  slaughtered  at  remote  points  and  their 
skins  hauled  in.  But  as  the  pelts  weigh  aljout 
eight  pounds  when  first  taken  off,  or  ten  pounds 
when  salted,  tliere  is  a  great  saving  in  transpor- 
tation to  comi)el  them  to  carry  their  own  skins 
and  blubl)er  in  when  practicable. 

On  the  afternoon  of  our  first  arrival  at  St. 
PiiuTs,  a  1)and  which  had  been  driven  three  miles 
and  a  half  was  seen  halted  on  a  hill,  unable  to 
proceed,  owing  to  the  warmth  of  the  day,  al- 
though it  was  not  distressing  us  to  walk  about 
in  overcoats.  In  the  evening,  however,  they 
were  pushed  down  to  a  lagoon,  Avhere  the}'  soon 
became  cool,  after  which  they  moved  along 
without  much  trouble. 

At  six  o'clock  next  morning  killing  com- 
menced. Just  ))ef()re  this  hour  twenty  or  thirty 
natives  were  seen  going  out  to  the  drove,  about 
half  a  mile  from  the  village.  They  might  have 
been  taken  for  a  party  of  machinists  organ- 
ized into  base-ball  clubs.  Nearly  all  wore  caps 
and  were  dressed  in  I)lue  denims  overalls  and 
jumpers.  About  a  do/en  of  the  ))arty  carried 
hickory  clubs  of  the  dianu^tor  of  a  bas(>-l)all  bat, 
but  five  feet  in  length.      The  others  had  knives. 


104  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

Arriving:  on  the  irround  the  drivers  were 
found  to  have  eut  otf  about  one-fifth  of  tlie  l)and, 
and  were  giving  tlie  smaller  l)ody  a  ehance  to 
cool  off.  After  a  few  minutes  a  numl)er  not  to 
exceed  fifty  or  sixty  were  dri\en  u})  toward  the 
killers,  who  stood  close  together.  As  soon  as 
the  small  band  arrived  at  the  fatal  spot  they 
■were  surrounded  1)V  the  men  with  clul)s,  who 
proceeded  Avitli  the  utmost  diligence  to  raj) 
them  on  the  nose  or  ])etween  the  eyes.  A 
smart  rap  of  a  base-l>all  club  on  the  tip  of  a  fur 
seal's  nose  puts  him  beyond  recovciy.  Some 
are  killed  by  being  hit  l)etween  their  lai'ge. 
soft,  intelligent  eyes  (the  memory  of  which 
would  haunt  any  but  sc.d-killcrs),  and  others 
fall  senseless  from  a  l)low  on  the  ])ack  of  the 
neck.  One  group  after  another  was  brought 
forward  tmd  knocked  down  so  rapidly  that  in 
less  than  \\\vqo  hours  nine  hundred  and  ninety- 
seven  seals  had  l)een  killed  and  skinned.  Out 
of  each  small  band  di'i\"en  up  to  the  killers,  at 
least  twenty  ])er  cent  were  tui-ned  away,  this 
jn-actice  l)e:ng  })ursuQd  in  order  to  kec})  up  the 
su{)ply  from  year  to  year. 

After  the  clubl)ers  followed  two  or  three  men 
Avith  kni\('s.  avIio  cut  a  short  slit  in  the  skin 
l)etween  the  fore  flij)}iers  and  then  stabl)ed  the 
seal  to  the  heart.      Next  succeeded  the  rip))er'- 


,S£AL.SKiy  SACQUES.  1(»5 

who  split  the  skin  lengthwise  along  the  belly 
and  cut  around  the  neck  and  flippers  to  make 
way  for  the  skinners,  who  will  not  })ernn't  their 
blades  to  touch  the  outer  portion  of  the  hide, 
where  sand  might  dull  the  keen  edges.  On  an 
average  the  skins  are  removed  in  two  minutes 
each  and  thrown  beside  the  carcass,  whence 
they  are  hauled  to  the  salting  house.  The  skins, 
when  hauled  from  the  killing  ground,  are  salted 
down  in  large  bins,  where  they  remain  about  a 
week,  when  they  are  removed  and  piled  in  tiers 
in  the  warehouse,  like  cured  l)ac()n  in  a  pork- 
packing  establishment.  When  sufficiently  salted 
they  are  prepared  for  shipment  by  rolling  two 
skins  together,  the  flesh-sides  facing,  after 
which  they  are  tied,  forming  a  liundJe  about 
four  inches  in  thickness  and  ten  in  length.  In 
San  Francisco  they  are  packed  in  casks  and  go 
to  London  in  that  condition. 

In  London  they  are  put  through  a  course  of 
treatment  which  destroys  the  grease  and  re- 
moves the  long  hairs,  which  stand  out  as  a 
protection  to  the  fur.  This  is  done  by  shavinir 
the  flesh  down  and  pulling  the  hairs  out  liy 
machinery.  After  the  skin  has  l)eeii  sufficiently 
mani})ulated  in  these  processes,  it  is  dyed,  and 
this  is  said  to  be  the  most  important  mattcn-  of 
all  in  connection  with  its  treatment.      It  is  as- 


106  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

serted  and  denied  that  the  skins  can  be  success- 
fully dyed  in  the  United  States,  Init  at  all  events 
London  controls  the  l)usiness  at  present. 

AVhere  the  fur  seals  <ro,  and  n})()n  what  they 
subsist  when  absent  from  the  place  where  they 
''most  do  breed  and  haunt,"  is  a  matter  of  much 
speculation.  They  arrive  at  the  rookeries  and 
hauling  grounds  fit  and  sleek  in  the  sunmier. 
The}'  remain  for  months  M'ithout  eating,  and 
then,  their  numl)ers  increased  h\  perhaps  a 
million  of  ''pups,"'  they  disappear  in  the  autumn 
})oor  and  ''stagey,"  to  reappear  in  lirst-class 
concbtion  at  the  usual  time  next  year. 

From  the  circumstance  that  occasional  fur 
seals  are  killed  off  the  coast  of  British  Columbia 
and  Southeastern  Alaska,  and  that  a  lew  are 
taken  among  the  Aleutian  Islands  as  they 
journe}'  southward,  it  is  supposed  by  some  ob- 
servers that  they  follow  the  coast  line,  keei)ing 
a  certain  distance  out  to  sea.  But  while  they 
leave  the  Prybilov  Islands  in  a  swarm  ol'  mil- 
lions, they  are  never  seen  in  great  numbers 
away  from  here.  Close  observation  and  occa- 
sional marking  by  some  distiguration  lead  })e()- 
pl(^  on  the  islands  to  believe  that  the  seals 
return  not  only  to  the  same  islands,  but  that 
some  of  the  old  bulls  occujn'  the  identical  s])ot 
of  beach  over  which  they  rule  for  years. 


SEALSKIN  SACQUES.  1()7 

Leaving  these  islands  the  seals  prolxiljly  scat- 
ter out  tlirouii'h  the  Pacific  in  ditierent  direc- 
tions in  searcli  of  tish,  tlie  finding  ot"  Avliich  in 
sufKcient  (juantities  for  the  innnens(>  herd  to- 
gether would  seem  to  l)e  almost  impossible. 
They  are  sup})osed  to  feed  on  lish  and  kel[), — 
that  [jrolific  product  of  the  ocean  which  is  found 
floating  in  nearly  ail  latitudes,  1)eing  torn  from 
its  rocky  bed  by  storms  and  carried  around  the 
world  upon  tides  and  ciu'rents.  Kelp  furnishes 
the  food  for  the  seal,  and  it  collects  in  tangled 
masses  to  form  a  couch  for  the  shy  sea  otter, 
which  slce})s  upon  it  in  a  gale,  and  it  has  l)een 
used  to  soothe  the  hungry  stomach  of  many  a 
hunter  who  for  days  had  failed  to  find  other  food. 

While  it  is  I)elieved  that  tish  and  kelp  form 
the  chief  article  of  seal  sul)sistence.  the  seal,  as 
stated,  can  live  foi'  months  on  his  inner  con- 
sciousness or  blub])er  which  is  strongly  flavored 
with  seaweed.  The  stomach  of  a  seal  cut  0})en 
on  the  islands  })roves  to  be  (|uitc  empt}'.  It 
reveals  nothing  of  its  owners  habits.  It  is  a 
mystery. 

Tht^  manufacture  of  oil  from  >eal  blubber 
may  be  much  more  satisfactorily  studied  from 
a  vvriiten  descrii)lion  than  in  llie  factory,  for  it 
is  not  producti\"e  of  the  most  rehned  odors. 
AVlien  seal  oil  was  made   uj)on  the  islands  the 


108  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

"  blubber-snatchors  "  followed  the  skinners  and 
stn[)ped  the  carcass  a  second  time,  removing 
the  fat  from  all  around  the  body  in  one  sheet, 
which  was  rolled  up  and  carted  to  the  oil  fac- 
tory, where  it  was  dum})ed  into  a  wooden  vat. 
I'he  vats  were  sui)plicd  with  steam  from  a 
boiler  under  ninet\'  pounds  pressure.  Five  or 
six  wagon-loads  of  i)lubber  were  thrown  into  a 
vat,  which  \vas  cIoscmI  at  the  top,  the  steam 
turned  on,  and  the  boiling  })rocess  continued  for 
twelve  to  tiftecn  hours,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  the  oil  was  i)ressed  out  and  raised  by  cold 
Avater  and  run  off  the  top  into  casks  holding 
from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  and 
eighty  gallons  each. 

Carcasses  of  the  seal  killed  for  their  fur  yield 
about  half  a  gallon  of  oil  each  when  they  are 
fat,  l)ut  as  the  season  advances  they  }ield  less, 
living  by  absor})tion  of  their  own  grease.  In 
tiring  under  the  boiler,  seal  carcasses,  ])lu])ber, 
l)ones,  and  flesh  were  used  for  fuel,  ;ind  a 
warm  tire  they  make,  but  the  tiremen  must  be 
relieved  frequently,  for  the  stench  of  the  boil- 
ing blubber  and  of  the  burning  bodies  combined 
is  too  much  for  any  set  of  human  nerves  to  en- 
dure long  at  any  one  time.  Since  the  foregoing 
A\as  written,  oil-making  on  our  seal  islands  has 
l>een  discontinued  as  unpi'ofitable. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


COMMUNISTIC. 


rpiIE  natives  of  St.  Paul's  and  St.  George's 
-*~  islands  live  in  a  sort  of  connnunistie  state, 
and  are,  withal,  purse-proud  aristocrats.  They 
perform  a  few  days'  labor  for  the  com  pan}'  out- 
side of  seal-taking,  for  which  they  are  paid  at 
tlie  rate  of  ten  cents  per  hour.  All  earnings 
for  killing  seals  are  distributed  i)ro  rata  in 
classes,  not  only  to  those  who  work  according 
to  their  ability,  but  to  some  who  are  unable  to 
perform  any  labor.  They  are  not  frugal  in 
their  habits.  They  spend  the  greater  part  of 
their  money  on  luxuries.  Having  house  rent, 
fuel,  tisli  and  seal  meat,  doctor  and  school- 
master free,  they  look  around  for  sonx^thing  to 
buy.  For  the  one  hundred  and  twenty  women 
on  one  island  the  company  carries  u})  a  hundred 
dozen  tine  silk  handkerchiefs  which  are  gen- 
erally worn  on  tlie  head,  a  hundred  dozen  fine 
worsted    colored     stockings,   almost    as    many 


110  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

scurfs  and  nubias,  dozens  of  fine  shawls,  one 
thousand  two  hundred  yards  of  calico  (some  of 
these  seal-killers'  wives  have  a  dozen  dresses 
at  a  time),  three  hundred  yards  of  other  dress 
goods  and  flannels,  with  three  suits  of  clothing, 
boots,  and  ca})s  for  every  man  and  boy  in  the 
village,  and  good  cassimere  clothinir  is  tlie  kind 
they  demand. 

For  food  sup})lies  on  one  island  they  have 
thirty-five  thousand  pounds  of  biscuit  and 
crackers  and  two  hundred  and  thirty  barrels  of 
Hour ;  seventy  chests  of  tea,  fifty-two  pounds 
each  ;  four  hundred  boxes  candles,  stearine  and 
paraffinc ;  one  thousand  sacks  of  rice,  fifty 
pounds  each  ;  one  thousand  gallons  kerosene, 
etc. 

A  few  years  ago  these  same  natives  lived 
in  ))arabaras  (sod  huts),  twenty-live  to  forty 
})ersons  in  one  room.  They  used  ])lub))er  lb?' 
lights  and  fuel  till  the  lam})l)lack  hung  in  strings 
from  the  ceiling.  Now  they  have  iVamc  houses, 
cook-stoves,  coal,  kerosene,  and  ])arafiine  can- 
dles. They  have  good  church  buildings  on 
each  island,  and  schools  Avith  teachers  as  well  as 
doctors,  at  the  ex})ense  of  the  c()m})any. 

The  natives  of  the  seal  islands  arc  not  long- 
lived.  Sixty  is  old  age,  to  which  i'vAW  ever 
I'each,  and  even  those  of  lifty  are  scarce.      I'he 


COJIMU-iYIS  TIC.  Ill 

population  has  not  increased  to  any  appreciable 
extent  since  the  United  States  came  into  posses- 
sion. 

Like  all  other  Aleuts,  the  natives  of  the  seal 
islands  die  generally  of  consumption.  When 
it  once  appears  it  makes  rapid  work,  and  in  a 
few  days  its  victim  is  laid  awav.  Whatever  may 
he  the  restorative  qualities  of  tish-oil  or  blubber, 
it  does  not  seem  to  benefit  these  people.  They 
all  eat  enormously  of  these  commodities,  and,  as 
a  rule,  die  early.  When  attacked,  physicians 
are  in  vain,  and  the  patient  falls  at  once  into 
a  condition  of  hopeless  indifference,  irenerally 
refusini?  medicine,  or  nealectino-  to  take  it  dur- 
ing  the  doctor's  al^sence. 

These  people  give  liberally  toward  the  support 
of  their  church,  and  l)uy  many  blessed  candles 
at  high  prices.  The  church  decorations  of  sih'cr 
chandeliers,  candelabras,  and  pictures  are  l)oth 
elaborate  and  expensive.  Large  gilt  candles 
have  been  sent  from  the  San  Francisco  Consis- 
tory at  the  rate  of  three  for  fifty  dollars,  and, 
though  this  was  considered  high,  they  were  paid 
for.  They  were  large  candles,  it  is  true,  but, 
Judging  from  the  material  of  which  they  are 
composed,  they  should  not  cost  more  than  four 
or  five  dollars  each,  even  including  the  rather 
tawdry  gilding  upon    their  surfaces.     But  the 


112  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

seal-isliinders  believe  in  blessed  candles  and 
can  aftbrd  to  \n\\  for  them. 

The  "second"  priest,  or  "striker,"  as  he  is 
sometimes  denominated  by  irreverent  Yankees, 
the  "second  mate,"  as  the  sailors  call  him,  is 
an  institution  of  the  llussian  Church  in  Alaska. 
The  second  })riest  can  hold  services,  but  is  not 
endowed  with  the  right  to  perform  the  marriage 
ceremony.  He  leads  the  choir  and  attends  on 
the  first  priest  at  mass.  Sometimes  the  mar- 
riage ceremony  is  waived  by  parties  entering 
into  the  marital  state  in  the  absence  of  a  first 
priest,  but  when  that  individual  comes  around, 
he  makes  it  all  I'ight,  and  it  is  considered  that 
no  harm  has  been  done. 

The  vestments  worn  by  the  priest  are  very 
rich,  but  sometimes  when  he  appears  in  gar- 
ments of  gold  and  M'hite,  with  cavalry  boots 
below,  as  often  hapi)ens,  tlie  effect  strikes 
strangers  as  being  strong  and  novel  rather  than 
strictly  ecclesiastic.  It  speaks  somewhat  loudly 
of  church  militant. 

There  is  no  beer  nor  whiskey  to  be  had  by 
the  natives  of  the  fur-seal  islands.  The  Treas- 
ury Department  f()rl)ids  the  manufacture  here  or 
the  introduction  of  beverages  of  an  intoxicating 
character.  KlTorts  have  been  made  in  other 
Aleutian  settlements  to   prevent    the   nianufac- 


COMMUNIS  TIC.  113 

tare  of  "quass,"  a  sort  of  sour  l)ccr  manufiic- 
tured  out  of  sugar,  Hour,  and  water  ;  but  where 
there  are  two  or  more  trading  companies  in 
competition,  the  sugar  can  be  obtained  from 
one,  if  not  from  the  other,  and  the  su})pression 
of  the  traffic  in  such  a  comnumity  is  ahnost 
impossil)le.  On  the  fur-seal  islands,  however. 
Treasury  and  company  agents  unite  in  efforts  to 
su})press  the  manufacture  of  strong  drink.  It 
Avas,  for  a  long  time,  difficult  to  reconcile  these 
Aleuts  to  getting  along  witliout  spirits,  lender 
Russian  rule  it  was  the  custom  to  issue  s))irits 
to  the  men  when  at  work,  and  this  created  an 
appetite,  which  was  sought  to  be  allayed  by 
other  drink  when  merchantable  whiskey  could 
not  be  had. 

(Jreat  trouble  is  now  experienced  by  the 
com])any"s  traders  elsewhere,  owing  to  the 
natives  getting  intoxicated  and  raising  disturb- 
ances, and  it  is  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  the 
agents  on  the  fur-seal  islands  that  they  have 
been  able  to  put  an  end  to  the  nianulacture  of 
"quass."  Im'cu  the  old  nati\'cs,  who  were  the 
most  difficult  to  wean.  ha\c  become  reconcik'd 
to  total  al)stinence,  and  the  fact  that  they  have 
money  in  ])ank.  and  better  houses,  clothing,  and 
food  than  were  had  when  wliiskey  and  ''<[uass" 
prevailed,   teaches    Iheni    that    fu'e-water   is   the 


114  A   TRIP   TO    ALASKA. 

most  expensive  luxury  poor  people  can  indulge 
in. 

Tea  is  now  the  strongest  beverage  that  these 
people  absorb.  The  tea  used  here  is  of  a 
superior  (quality,  the  same  cho})  as  that  fur- 
nished by  the  Russians  years  and  years  ago. 
The  people  don't  want  any  other  kind,  and  the 
company  is  perfectly  willing  to  provide  that 
which  they  prefer. 

The  seal  islands  are  situated  in  Behring  Sea, 
and  during  the  warmer  months  are  almost  con- 
tinually enveloped  in  fogs  and  mist.  That  is 
one  reason  why  the  seals  make  them  their 
breeding;  irrounds.  There  is  no  such  thin£>'  in 
the  seal  business  as  "making  hay  while  the  sun 
shines,"  for  the  sun  will  drive  the  warm-coated 
animals  into  the  water,  when  men  with  clu1)s 
could  not  do  it ;  for  though  the  two  and  four- 
year-olds  may  l)e  herded  and  driven  like  sheep, 
the  older  bulls,  when  on  the  rookeries,  cannot 
be  forced  away  b}'  threats  of  violence.  Con- 
tinued sunshine,  however,  would  soon  banish 
them  from  the  islands. 

St.  George's  Island,  which,  on  a  clear  day. 
can  ])e  seen  from  St.  Paul's,  is  an  e})itom(' 
of  the  larii'cr  one.  The  pojjulation,  at  the  hist 
count,  was  one  hundred  and  two  })ersons.  They 
have  a  church,  school-house,  and  frame  dwell- 


COMMUNISTIC.  115 

ings  for  the  people,  provided  by  the  coiiipan}', 
which  controls  in  all  these  matters  and  fur- 
nishes the  modern  improvements  according  to 
the  ideas  of  its  officers,  whose  suggestions  in 
these  matters  are  adopted. 

Xear  Garden  Cove,  on  the  southeast  coast  of 
St.  George's  Island,  is  a  large  sea-lion  rookery, 
the  beach  being  red  with  the  monsters,  which 
lay  packed  together  like  hogs  in  a  stock  car 
going  to  market.  The  sea  lion  is  found  also  on 
St.  Paul's,  but  not  so  numerously  as  on  St. 
George's.  The  sea  lion  seems  to  be  more  like 
an  overgroAvn  seal,  larger  than  the  fur-seal  bulls, 
but  their  coat  consists  of  hair  only,  which  is  of 
a  coarse  reddish  l)rown.  The  flesh  of  the  sea 
lion  is  preferred  to  that  of  the  fur  seal,  and  the 
hide,  while  having  no  value  in  the  markets  of 
the  world,  is  in  great  demand  among  the  Aleuts 
and  Indians  of  the  Northern  Pacific  and  Behring 
Sea.  The  leather  is,  however,  used  to  a  limited 
extent  on  emery  wheels  for  polishing  in  cutlery 
factories. 

The  flippers  of  the  sea  lion  are  used  for  soles 
of  the  Aleut  waterproof  ])()ots :  the  skin  is 
converted  into  coverings  for  the  large  open 
boats  known  as  "  l)idarrns.""  These  boats  con- 
sist of  a  frame  of  wood  with  ribs  imported 
from  the   Eastern  States.     The   lion  skins,  the 


116  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

hair  slnived  off,  are  stretched  over  the  frame, 
fifteen  or  twenty  beinii:  sewed  togetlier,  and 
when  dry  they  are  as  tight  as  a  drum.  These 
boats  arc  constructed  al)oiit  forty  feet  in  length 
and  ten  or  twelve  feet  beam,  witli  a  carrying 
capacity  of  from  two  to  four  tons. 

The  bidarra  is  the  favorite  craft  with  the 
seal  islanders  as  the  two-hole  bidarkic  is  with 
the  Western  Aleuts,  the  three-holed  with  the 
Kadiackers,  and  the  tifty-foot  cedar  dugouts 
with  the  Hyda Indians.  The  natives  of  dilferent 
localities  stick  to  their  old  ideas  with  the  most 
olxlurate  prejudice,  those  avIio  use  the  t\vo- 
holed  ])idarkic  and  double-bladed  paddle  ])eing 
near  neighbors  to  those  mIio  insist  on  a  three- 
holed  boat  and  single-bladcd  })a(ldlc.  The 
bidarra  is  also  the  tinorite  Avith  the  Indians  of 
Behring  Straits,  l)elng  na\igated  l)y  them  from 
the  American  to  the  Asiatic  shore. 

Sea  Olter  Island,  lying  about  five  miles  south- 
wardly from  St.  Paurs,  is  another  landing-j)lace 
ibr  the  I'ur  seal,  1)ut  only  t(j  a  limited  extent. 
Owing  to  the  fact  that  it  is  not  permanently 
inhal)ited,  some  marauders  were  in  the  hal)it  of 
landing  on  the  opposite  side,  where  they  could 
not  l)e  seen  from  St.  Paul's,  and  killing  what- 
ever seal  th(\v  eould  lind,  without  reu'ard  to  sex. 
age,    or    condition.       The     company    reported 


COMMUXL'i  TIC.  117 

these  facts  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
who  decided  that  the  intention  of  the  act  under 
which  the  lease  was  authorized  appeared  to  be 
to  give  all  the  islands  of  the  group  to  the 
lessees,  for  the  regulation  of  the  traffic  and 
preservation  of  the  fur  seal.  Then,  as  the 
company  could  not  defend  Sea  Otter  Island, 
the  Government  ^vas  asked  to  do  so,  and  now 
the  practice  is  to  leave  a  revenue  marine  guard 
there  during  the  sealing  season. 

Sea  Otter  Island  is  famous  for  sea  fowls' 
eggs,  and  also  for  foxes,  which  latter  so  infest 
the  place  that  a  former  revenue  marine  officer 
experienced  great  difficulty  in  kee})ing  the  pests 
from  destroying  everything  destroyal)le  in  his 
cabin.  Birds'  eggs  l)uricd  beneatli  the  floor 
were  ravished  by  these  cunning  animals,  which, 
during  the  officer's  absence,  dug  under  the  walls 
and  made  their  way  into  the  house.  They  are 
principally  blue  foxes,  such  as  are  found  on  St. 
Paul's  and  St.  (icorgc's. 

There  is  one  more,  AValrus  Island,  in  the 
Pryl)ilov  group,  about  six  miles  eastward  from 
St.  Paul,  to  which  male  walruses  resort  in  con- 
siderable numbers  each  year.  It  is  also  famous 
for  sea  fowl,  which  resort  thither  in  countless 
millions  for  breeding  purposes.  P>ut  no  fur 
seals  are  killed  by  the  lessees  upon  either  Otter 
or  Walrus  islands. 


118  A    TRIP    ro  ALASKA. 

As  only  natives  may  be  employed  to  kill  the 
seals,  no  whites  are  permitted  to  remain  upon 
the  Prybilov  Islands  unless  either  in  the  service 
of  the  United  States  or  of  the  Alaska  Commer- 
cial Company  —  except  the  Russian  priests. 


CHAPTER   XII. 


THE    FUR    WEST. 


r^  OIXG  from  the  fur  seal  islands  to  Attou 
^-^  we  lost  a  day.  Xot  that  we  had  merely 
wasted  twent3-four  hours,  but  we-  ^vere  a  day 
behind  the  Attou  people  in  our  account  of 
time . 

AVe  followed  Greeley's  advice  to  an  extreme 
degree.  AVe  went  west  until  we  arrived  in  east 
longitude.  Having  crossed  the  one  hundred 
and  eightieth  meridian  west  from  Greenwich  we 
were  a  day  slower  b}'  our  reckoning  than  the 
real  time.  According  to  tlie  log-book  of  the 
"Rush"  and  the  private  journals  of  those  on 
board,  this  page  was  written  on  Saturday,  June 
21.  According  to  the  people  of  Attou  it  was 
Sunday,  June  22. 

The  bells  of  the  little  church  on  shore  were 
ringing  out  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  for 
early  mass,  the  American  flag  was  flying,  and 
the  people  were  wearing  their  very  liest  calicoes 
and  newest  bird-skin  "parkas." 

no 


120  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

Attou  is  the  most  Avesterly  of  our  Aleutian 
islands,  the  extreme  western  settlement  of  tiie 
United  States,  and  only  two  hundred  miles  from 
Copper  Island,  the  nearest  llussian  possession, 
which  from  its  situation  would  appear  to  1)C 
a  continuation  of  the  volcanic  reef  stretchinii: 
across  the  Pacific  from  the  peninsula  of  Alaska 
to  Kanitschatka,  which  latter  is  l)ut  a  trifle  over 
four  hundred  miles  from  this  island.  This  dis- 
tance is  so  short  and  the  route  so  natural  that 
connnunication  between  Asia  and  xVmerica  this 
way  thousands  of  years  ago  may  be  assumed  to 
have  occurred  often  enough  to  stamp  a  record 
on  the  features  of  our  a])origines,  so-called. 

The  Aleuts  have  a  form,  face,  and  stature 
similar  to  some  of  the  Asiatic  races,  and  if  the 
Indians  on  the  main  hmd  are  taller,  leaner,  and 
more  muscular,  that  fact  may  be  due  to  different 
conditions  of  life  through  many  o-enerations. 

Take  two  couples  of  one  tribe  and  place 
them  in  different  climates  where  they  su])sist 
on  different  food  and  practice  different  exer- 
cises and  games,  })ursuing  different  occupations, 
two  hunting  in  boats,  the  others  indulging  in 
the  chase  on  horseback  or  on  foot,  and  in  a  few- 
generations  the  successors  of  the  two  coujjles 
would  present  Avhnt  might  at  first  appear  to 
be  distinct   races  of  peo})le,   speaking  different 


THE  FUR    WEST.  121 

tongues,  though  traces  of  a  common  origin 
nn'ght  he  found.  Such  a  condition  of  atfairs 
would  account  for  the  difference  between  our 
Aleuts  and  inland  tribes  of  Indians. 

Terent y  Prokopieff,  tho  "  Tyone  "  or  Chief  of 
Attou,  is  an  Aleut,  Hfty-tive  years  of  age.  He 
is  a  deacon  or  sub-})riest  of  the  Russian  Church, 
reads  and  writes  in  Russian,  and  is  agent  of  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company,  who  have  a  store 
here.  There  are  stories  current  of  many  wrecks 
from  the  East  coming  on  shore  here,  l)ut  the 
Tyone  knows  of  only  two  occurring  in  his  time. 
In  1853  a  Japanese  junk  came  ashore  keel 
uppermost,  and  at  the  same  time  three  dead 
l)odies  were  found  on  the  beach,  none  being 
left  to  tell  the  tale  of  their  vo3age  further  than 
might  be  inferred  from  inverted  bark  and  stark 
corpses.  But  in  18t)l  another  junk  from  Japan 
was  discovered  by  some  otter-hunters  w  ho  were 
out  at  sea  in  bidarkics  from  Attou. 

The  hunters  were  shy  of  the  strangers,  who 
also  had  fears  for  their  li\es,  visions  of  })irates 
and  cannil)als  scudding  athwart  the  excitc^l 
imaginations  of  botii  })arties.  The  Aleuts 
paddled  r.urriediy  toward  shore,  and,  encour- 
aged by  this  turn  in  affairs  and  urged  by 
necessity,  the  voyagers  from  another  land 
followed.       They  got    on    shore,  when    it  was 


122  A    TRIP    TO   ALASKA. 

discovered  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  island 
that  their  visitors  consisted  of  only  three 
Japanese,  who  had  been  drifting  for  days 
without  provisions  and  without  water,  four 
of  their  shipmates,  including  their  captain  and 
mate,    having    died    at    sea. 

The  storm-tossed  Asiatics  were  taken  in  by 
the  hospitable  Aleuts,  kept  here  for  eight 
months  till  the  arrival  of  the  steamer  Alex- 
ander, which  conveyed  them  to  Eastern  Si- 
beria, where  they  disembarked  to  make  their 
way  home  overland.  There  are  no  records 
here  in  Attou  of  the  first  coming  of  shi})s 
from  the  westward,  nor  have  the  present 
people  any  idea  of  their  origin  be3'ond  a 
tradition   of  a    hixzy  character. 

The  old  people  here  talk  of  wars  long 
since,  time  without  date,  bctwcH-n  the  inhab- 
itants of  Attou  and  those  of  islands  to  the 
eastward.  A  connnon  story  is  that  on  one 
occasion  the  people  of  Alka,  tive  hundred 
miles  to  the  eastward,  c-ame  to  Attou  and 
proceeded  to  exterminate  the  nativc-s.  A\'hen 
they  de[)arted  they  congratulated  themselves 
on  their  comi)lete  success  and  went  home 
rejoicing.  Three  oi'  four  years  afterward, 
however,  some  huntei-s  disco\ered  that  one 
woman    had    escaped,    and    lived    to    wander 


THE  FUR   WEST.  123 

about  all  this  time  in  solitude  as  great  as 
that  experienced    by    Ko])inson   Crusoe. 

Pitying  her  lone  condition  or  repenting  their 
abortive  atteini)t  at  complete  extermination, 
the\^  left  one  of  their  own  number  here,  and 
the  result  was  the  repopulation  of  the  island. 
This  sounds  somewhat  like  an  Oriental  tale 
of  the  origin  of  a  peo[)le,  and  wiiether  true 
or  false  it  is  hardly  worth  contradicting.  Simihir 
stories  are  told  of  other  portions  of  Alaska. 

It  is  said  that  three  hundred  and  tifty 
3'ears  ago  tierce  wars  prevailed  between  the 
men  of  Kadiak  and  those  of  Onalaska.  Ex- 
cursions were  freijuent  from  one  island  to  the 
other,  seven  hundred  miles  distant,  and  it  gen- 
erally occurred  that  the  attacking  party  got 
the  i)est  of  these  lights,  a  result  of  which 
was  that  the  victors  carried  the  women  of 
the  vanquished  away  to  their  own  dominions. 
This  necessitated  retaliation  and  the  carrying 
of  the  o})p()site  party's  women  home  by  w;iy 
of  reprisals.  It  was  like  the  matches  and 
return  games  of  base-ball  clubs,  cricketeiv<, 
and  sharp-shooters  of  the  present  day  in  IIk^ 
United  States,  except  there  was  more  real 
sport,  less  eating  and  drinking,  and  more  valii- 
al)lc  prizes,   it   is  to  be  hoped. 

The  population  of  Attou  consists  of  one  hun- 


124  A   TRIP    TO  ALASKA. 

(Irod  and  thivty-lwo  persons,  the  poorest  of  the 
poor  among  tlie  Aleutians.  The  Tyone,  how- 
ever, can  rcnienil)er  when  the  island  contained 
a  a"reat  many  more  people,  who  have  died  or 
i>"one  to  hunt  a  livinir  where  it  may  ])e  more 
certainly  obtained.  These  one  hundred  and 
thirty-two  persons,  of  Avhom  only  thirty-four 
men  and  Ixn's  arc  able  to  hunt,  owe  the  Alaska 
(  ommercial  Company  Hve  thousand  dollars  for 
ijfoods  to  keep  them  alive.  There  Avas  a  time 
when  Attou  was  considered  the  centre  of  the 
best  sea-otter-hunting'  region  in  Behring  Sea, 
but  wanton  cruisers  came  in  as  soon  as  the  Rus- 
sians were  bought  out,  and  with  guns  con- 
stantly in  the  hands  of  their  hunters  in  small 
boats,  hunting  at  all  seasons,  discharging  iire- 
arms,  leaving  otfal  u})on  the  rocks  and  islands, 
the  otter  began  to  disappear  rapidly.  The  rev- 
enue steamers  coming  into  these  waters  later 
have  driven  the  marauding  schooners  away,  but 
serious  damage  was  done  before  their  coming. 
During  Ivussian  rule,  the  Tyone  says,  the 
people  here  captured  from  three  hundred  to 
seven  hundred  sea  otter  a  year,  but  of  late 
years  from  t\v(Mity  to  thirty  skins  are  all  that 
they  get.  Tlic  company  has  Iteen  trying  to  get 
the  ])e()ple  of  this  island  to  move  to  the  main- 
land,  where  they  could    be   supported   at;   less 


THE  FUR    WEST.  125 

cost.  But,  like  other  poor  people,  those  of 
Attoii  cling  to  their  impoverished  homes,  "which 
consist  merely  of  ti  few  earthen  huts,  with  not  ti 
hundred  dollars  worth  of  furniture  in  the  entire 
settlement.  But  the  bones  of  their  dead  rela- 
tives are  huried  here  in  the  sand  beside  the  half 
underground  habitations  of  the  living,  and  there- 
fore the  people  refuse  to  go. 

The  store  may  be  taken  away,  but  the  agent, 
who  is  Tyone  and  deacon,  will  remain  with 
his  people,  and  with  them  trust  to  the  sea  to 
furnish  them  food,  clothing,  and  fuel.  Some 
of  these  Attou  people  go  now  for  a  year  with- 
out tea  or  flour,  unless  in  case  of  sickness,  when 
the  agent  issues  some  indispensible  article  out 
of  the  company's  stock,  and  enters  the  proper 
amount  of  debit  upon  the  company's  ])ooks, 
without  much  ho})e  of  ever  seeing  the  account 
cancelled,  unless  the  otter  comes  l)ack.  This 
seems  to  be  a  remote  contingency,  but  possibly 
it  may  occur. 

Of  vegetables,  canned  goods,  and  the  many 
little  comforts  of  civilization  these  people  know 
nothing  except  by  tradition.  Xow.  in  the  sum- 
jner  solstice,  the  peaks,  two  thousand  feet  in 
height,  surrounding  the  settlement,  ai'c  covered 
Avith  snow,  drifts  of  which,  fallen  last  winter, 
still  lie  in  the  o-nlches  at  the  rear  of  the  huts. 


126  A    TRir   TO  ALASKA. 

Xeurly  all  the  children  run  about  barefooted 
and  barelegged,  with  a  little  shirt  or  bird-skin 
gown  as  their  only  covering.  At  least,  most  oi" 
them  were  in  that  condition  until  the  arrival  of 
the ''Rush,"  the  officers  of  which,  seeing  their 
destitution  last  year,  came  provided  on  this 
cruise  with  bags  of  clothing,  not  onlv  for  the 
children,  but  for  women,  some  of  whom  were 
l)ut  scantily  arrayed  for  either  sunnner  or  Avin- 
ter.  They  have  been  filled  up,  too,  Avitli  bread 
and  —  what  they  prize  most  of  all — good  tea, 
with  sugar  to  sweeten  it.  This  makes  them 
happy  for  the  time,  and  they  look  forward  to  a 
year's  diet  on  dried  fish,  as  the  sta})lc  article  of 
food,  with  the  consoling  confidence  that  another 
day  will  come  next  summer,  Avlicn  the  little 
steamer  may  drop  anchor  in  the  ha!'l)or,  to 
afford  them  another  season  of  tea  and  bread, 
with  second-hand  dresses  for  the  women  and 
children. 

Even  xVttou,  poor  and  destitute  as  the  people 
ai'c,  has  a  church,  and,  although  no  jjriest  has 
been  here  for  several  years,  services  are  held  on 
every  Sunday,  connnencing  on  Saturday  even- 
ing at  sunset.  Tin;  rite  of  baptism  is  adminis- 
tered by  the  chief,  but  he  cannot  perform  the 
marriage  cei'emony  nor  administer  conununion. 
AVhcn  the  next  priest  comes  he  will  have  plenty 


THE  FUR   WEST.  127 

to  do  tightenino:  the  niatrimoninl  knots  that 
have  been  loosely  formed  in  the  interim. 

The  lumber  in  the  little  church,  the  walls  of 
Avhich  are  not  higher  than  a  man's  head,  has 
been  sawed  out  of  driftwood,  most  of  it  prol)- 
ably  coming  from  the  Yucon  Kiver.  A  frame 
of  four  uprights,  Avitli  as  many  cr()ss-})ieces  and 
a  whip-saw,  constitute  the  lumber  factory  at  At- 
tou  ;  and  the  sea  furnishes  the  logs,  for  not  a 
stick  of  timber  as  large  as  a  bean-pole  grows 
upon  any  of  the  Aleutian  Islands.  The  roof  of 
the  church  is  tiiatched  with  dried  grass,  Avhich 
here  grows  tall  and  coarse,  one  variety  like 
wild  rye. 

Just  outside  of  the  front  door  of  the  church 
is  a  little  pavilion  or  belfry,  upon  the  top  of 
which  a  man  standing  upon  the  ground  could 
put  his  hand.  Under  tlie  four-raided  roof  of 
this  modest  structure  hang  two  bells  green  with 
age  and  dampness.  All  the  cliurches  in  these 
settlements  have  a  number  of  bells,  that  at  St. 
Paul's  boasting  a  full  octa\e.  but  in  other  and 
humbler  connnunities  there  arc  fron:  two  to  live 
bells,  handcnl  down  from  the  days  of  lvu-<ian 
rule.  In  Sitka  and  C)nalaska  they  hang  high 
in  towers  al)ove  the  church,  aspiring  to  the 
heavens,  but  in  pooi'  ])laccs.  such  as  Attou.  they 
are  found  close   to  the   earth,  though    possibly 


128  A    TlilP   TO  ALASKA. 

drawing  Avorshiijpcrs  quite  as  near  to  God. 
After  chui'cli  on  Sunda}"  evening  it  is  no  harm 
to  liave  a  dance  ;  l)ut  on  Saturday  evening  such 
a  stej)  is  a  sin  in  Alaska. 

If"  the  original  .Vleuts  "svere  not  worshippers 
of  the  sea,  it  must  have  ])een  because  when  they 
Avere  cast  away  here  from  the  Asiatic  coast 
their  idol-worship})ing  proclivities  could  not  be 
washed  out  of  them  by  the  illimitable  waters. 
But  had  Christians  never  discovered  this  peo- 
ple, and  had  some  aboriginal  religious  reformer 
risen  among  them,  he  nuist  certainly  have 
located  the  All-good  in  the  sea.  It  ^vjis  to  the 
sea  that  they  originally  looked  for  food,  rai- 
ment, fuel,  and  means  of  locomotion.  They 
remain  in  that  condition  to  the  present  day.  A 
few  berries  grow  u})on  the  Aleutian  Islands, 
but  there  is  not  an  island  from  Sitka  to  Alton 
that  is  fit  for  agricultural  purposes.  How  could 
there  be,  with  snow  on  all  the  hills,  down  to 
the  Avater's  edge  in  midsummer? 

The  sun  is  w()rshi])ped  by  many  peo})le  as 
the  origin  of  the  ])rinciple  of  life,  but  how 
could  reverential  thoughts  be  directed  to  that 
orb  in  a  land  where  he  is  not  visible  once  a 
month?  AMiat  good  could  come  from  so  cold 
and  careless  a  Ciod  ?  I)Ut  the  sea  brings  fish,  on 
which  the  Aleuts  live  vear  in  and  vear  out.      It 


THE  FUR   WEST.  129 

furnishes  sea-otter,  the  fur  of  which  is  of  the 
finest,  and,  before  being  taken  in  hand  by  tlie 
Christians  of  the  Czar,  these  barbarians  could 
alford  to  ^\"ear  sea-otter  cloalvs.  Tlie  sea  is  the 
lionie  of  tlie  waterfowl  which  fui'nishes  eggs  and 
poultry.  AVhen  tish,  eggs,  and  fowl  fail,  sea- 
urchins  are  made  to  sup[)ly  their  places,  and  in 
seasons  of  greatest  distress  kelp  becomes  an 
article  of  food.  The  sea  In'ino's  wood  for  fuel 
and  timber  for  the  interiors  of  their  earthen 
huts,  and  u})on  the  I)osom  of  the  waters  these 
people  })addlc  in  l)uoyant  barks  of  sea-lion  skin 
for  business  or  pleasure.  They  owe  nothing  to 
the  land  but  their  mud  hovels,  and  the  island 
was  upheaved  from  the  generous  sea  to  aflbrd 
them  their  resting-})lace.  The  sea  is  virtually 
their  home  and  their  existence.  "Without  it 
they  must  die. 

Xo  Hour,  no  vegetables  of  any  sort  are  seen 
in  most  of  these  .Vlcutian  huts  from  ])eiiinning 
to  end  of  the  year.  Fish  is  their  staple,  and, 
for  long  times  together,  their  only  article  of 
food,  lubricated  occasionally  l)y  oil ;  and  fish  are 
plentifid  around  all  of  those  islands.  Hero 
they  have  salmon,  trout,  flounders,  codflsh,  and 
a  sort  of  kol))flsh,  very  fat  but  delicate  and 
nutritous.  This  is  the  l)est  of  all,  though 
sahnon    fbniis    jlie    grc^atest    source    of   supply. 


180  A    TRIP    TO  ALASKA. 

The  kelp-fish  is  :i])()ut  the  size  of  inaekevel,  hut 
the  stripes  upon  its  body  are  shaded  from  a  dull 
l)ro\vn  to  a  Ijriuht  vellow.  At  first  2'hince  the 
stripes  remind  one  of  the  dee[)  brown  kelp, 
touehed  out  with  yellow  ochre.  These  fish  can- 
not he  caught  with  hook  and  Hue,  but  are 
s[)eared  down  among  the  rocks,  and  con- 
se(|uent]y  they  can  only  ])e  taken  in  smooth 
water.  They,  like  salmon,  are  dried  for  winter 
use. 

The  salmon  here  are  not  large,  nor,  at  this 
season,  fat.  They  are  dry  and  almost  without 
fiavor.  The  men  of  the  steamer  hauled  a  seine 
at  the  mouth  oi'  a  creek  near  the  village  and 
caught  a  sufficient  sup})ly  of  salmon  for  use  on 
the  Aoyage,  and  tliougii  the  fish,  "when  cleaned 
and  laid  out,  had  briglit  orange  color  within, 
which,  tipped  at  the  tail  and  edged  at  the  sides 
with  silver,  presented  a  pretty  picture  they 
Avere  generally  pronounced  poor  eating,  this 
is  a  delicacy,  of  course.  For  a  steady  diet, 
with  not  nuich  else  to  accompany  it,  no  doubt 
salmon  is  a  most  valuable  article  of  food,  for 
its  veiy  dryness  insures  the  possibility  of  its 
being  eaten  for  a  long  time  without  repugnance. 

The  women  of  Attou  are  of  a  retiring  dis- 
])()sition,  and  though  they  may  be  poor  and 
hungry,  do  not  beg — except  for  tobacco.     After 


THE  FCR    WEST.  131 

all  they  have  endured  throujfh  lack  of  food  and 
clothing,  tilling  them  up  Avith  tea  and  bread  and 
putting  clean  dresses  upon  them,  still  leaves  a 
want  which  only  tobacco  can  supply.  It  may 
])e  discouraging,  but  it  is  true.  Savages  and 
bar])arians  secmi  to  have  a  natural  craving  for 
the  weed,  aUhough  its  use  is  su[)posed  in  civil- 
ized countries  to  l)e  the  result  of  a  cultivated 
or  perverted  taste  —  according  to  the  views  of 
those  who  use  or  eschew  it. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

ISLAXDS,    HOCKS,    AND    MUM.'MIES. 

"TT"  YSIIKA  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
-^-^  places  Ave  visited.  The  island,  one  of 
the  Aleutian  chain,  runs  to  sharj)  })oints,  which 
look  as  though  they  would  wash  away,  but  it 
is  a  solid  rock  at  l)ottoin  nearly  all  the  way 
around,-  and  it  stands  the  assaults  of  the  sea 
very  well.  The  settlement  was  supposed  not 
to  he  of  a  permanent  charactci".  .Vbout  twenty- 
tive  hunters  Averc  brought  here  in  May  from 
Atka,  an  island  three  lumdrcMl  miles  to  the  east- 
ward, for  sea-otter  hunting,  and  tliey  Avere  to 
return  in  the  fall.  They  brought  their  families 
Avith  them,  and  tixed  up  barabaras  in  a  sand 
ridge  so  steep  and  nai'row  tliat  the  dwellings  on 
one  side,  facing  the  sea.  might  be  o])ened  into 
those  behind  them,  facing  inland,  in  a  few  hours 
by  a  couple  of  sa[)pers  and  miners.  All  of  the 
habitations  of  these  ])e()])le  Avere  huddled  to- 
gether irregularly,  Avherever  the  formation  of 
the  ridge  Avas  such  as  to  olfer  a  chance  for  the 
132 


ISLANDS,  ROCKS,  AND  MUMMIES.  133 

greatest  aniount  of  underground  space  with  the 
least  amount  of  digging.  The  people  here 
numbered  one  hundred  and  one  persons. 

Looking  around,  as  you  stand  upon  the  sum- 
mit of  this  ridge,  you  see  nothing  that  looks 
like  human  hal)itations,  but,  descending  to  either 
side,  a  small  door,  three  feet  in  height  and  a 
foot  and  a  half  in  width,  may  be  seen.  The 
ground  is  so  dug  out  as  to  form  a  descending 
grade  toward  the  door.  xVbove  the  surface  is  a 
small  mound  of  sand,  which  looks  as  if  it  might 
have  been  blown  up  by  the  wind,  having  no 
regular  form.  Grass  in  scattered  bunches  waves 
upon  the  mound,  as  it  does  on  other  portions 
of  the  ridiie. 

To  enter  at  the  little  doorway  a  man  must 
cither  turn  his  face  toward  the  outside  and  go 
in  back^\'ard,  which  movement  aflbrds  an  ()})por- 
tuiiity  to  reach  one  leg  down  into  the  descend- 
ing hallwi.y,  or  he  can  get  down  upon  his 
haunches  and  squeeze  through,  his  shoulders 
rubbing  the  toj)  of  the  entrance  as  he  l)ends  his 
head  so  as  not  to  bump  it.  The  visitor  will 
then  descend  along  a  corridor  or  outward  apart- 
ment, Avhere  the  small  fireplace  is  set  off  beneath 
a  hole  in  the  roof  to  the  inner  room,  where  the 
Aleut  can  stand  erect,  l)ut  the  average  Ameri- 
can 1)ows  his  head  to  save  the  rafters.     Here, 


134  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

in  an  Jipartment  about  six  by  eight  feet  on  the 
sides,  reside  tlie  Aleutian  otter-hunter,  his  wife, 
and  two  or  three  children,  and  generally  one  or 
more  relatives  of  either  the  husl)and  or  wife. 
A  short  bed  on  each  side  accommodates  them 
all.  The  bed  consists  generally  of  grass  mats 
spread  upon  the  floor  within  the  space  defined 
by  a  pole  four  or  five  feet  in  length,  laid  upon 
the  ground  to  kee})  the  bedding  from  going 
adrift  around  the  room. 

Once  within,  the  visitor  sees  that  the  Avails  of 
this  Aleutian  residence  are  made  l)y  digging  the 
sand  out,  stakes  being  set  up  to  kec})  the  sides 
from  caving  in.  Uprights,  stringers,  and  rafters 
of  driftwood  are  put  up,  and  sand  from  the 
hillside  shoveled  down  upon  them  fen-  a  roof. 
The  floor  and  portions  of  the  sides  are  covered 
with  matting  made  of  dried  grass;  a  box  or 
two  which  hold  the  clothing  of  the  family,  and 
a  cheap  clock,  complete  the  kit  of  furniture  ;  a 
religious  picture  is  in  everv  barabara,  and  in 
most  of  them  a  ])ottle  containing  holy  water 
hano-s  beside  the  sacred  work  of  art,  which  may 
be  worth  ten  cents  by  the  dozen.  A  })iece  of 
transparent  sea-lion  intestine  in  the  roof  serves 
for  a  skylight. 

Of  such  habitations  as  that  just  described 
there  are  twenty   or  twenty-iive    in    the    sand 


ISLAXDS,  ROCKS,  AXD   MUMJJIES.  135 

ridire  overlooking  the  Kvslika  hai"])or.  The 
church  does  not  greatly  differ  in  {irchitcctural 
poi:it.-5  from  the  residences,  except  that  it  is 
longer  and  consists  of  only  one  a})artnient.  All 
the  other  churches  we  have  seen  in  Alaskan 
settlements  contrive  to  have  a  sanctuary  con- 
taining the  aUar,  which  is  concealed  from  the 
view  of  worshippers  l)y  a  curtain,  when  the  sol- 
emn mystery  of  the  transul)stantiation  is  taking- 
place  ;  l)ut  here  circumstances  seem  not  to  ad- 
mit of  such  an  a{)artment  without  digging  into 
the  house  in  the  ivar.  Besides,  there  is  not 
an  ordained  priest  here,  the  services  being  only 
such  as  may  ha  performed  l)y  a  deacon.  Yet 
the  people  must  have  a  church,  though  the}'  are 
compelled  to  stoop  down  and  crawl  in  one  at  a 
time,  and  in  spite  of  tlie  fact  that  a  man  cannot 
stand  erect  against  the  sides  when  in.  Stand- 
ing upon  the  ridge  the  church  ^vould  not  be 
noticed  were  it  not  for  a  small  cross  sticking  up 
in  a  slightly  raised  mound  of  sand,  and  it  is 
only  l)v  goinii'  around  to  the  low  door  in  front 
that  evidences  of  an  entrance  into  the  side  of  the 
hill  arc  discovered. 

Farther  are  three  wooden  double  crosses. 
These,  surrounded  by  habitations  of  the  living, 
indicate  the  cemclcry.  three  otter-hunters  hav- 
ing  been    capsized   and    drowned   at   sea  here- 


136  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

abouts  u  year  ago.  Such  casualties  do  occur 
notwithstandinir  the  skill  used  in  handling  their 
bidarkies.  That  year  the  party  captured  nine- 
tj'-two  sea-otter,  but  as  yet  few  have  been 
taken. 

Only  one  otter  was  seen  around  Kyshka 
since  the  party  came  in  ^lay,  —  it  is  now 
June  20, — l)ut  all  of  the  men  except  two  are 
out  on  the  reefs  and  rocks  lying  adjacent  to 
this  island,  and  by  fall  they  ma}'  bring 
in  enough  to  make  a  profitable  season  of  it. 
Whether  or  not  they  go  back  in  the  fall  to 
Atka  depends  on  the  agent  at  Onalaska,  who 
regulates  these  atlairs,  sending  parties  out  in 
his  schooners  Avhen  desired,  and  taking  them 
ofl"  when    considered    most    expedient. 

Although  no  great  amount  of  fur  has  as 
yet  been  obtained,  the  people  seem  much 
belter  off  than  those  at  Alton,  a  great  deal  of 
Avhich  may  be  due  to  industry.  T\\q  women 
hero  are  tidy  in  their  dress,  and  the  barabaras 
are  kept  mucii  neater  than  in  Attou,  where  one 
could  not  make  a  charitable  visit  without  ex- 
periencing a  feeling  of  uneasiness  as  to  Mhat 
might  be  in\()luntarily  carried  away.  Possibly 
the  mingling  with  Avhites,  Finlanchn's,  liussitins, 
and  others  at  Atka  has  led  these  peonle  into 
ways    of  cleanliness  which  the   more    westerly 


ISLAXns,  ROCKS,  AND   MUMMIES.  137 

Aleuts  palpably  stand  in  great  need  of.  A 
large  amount  of  charity  in  the  Avay  of  a  change 
of  clean  clothing  might  well  l)e  bestowed  upon 
Attou,  but  at  least  a  box  of  kitchen  soap  should 
go  with  it,  and  the  people  should  be  compelled 
to  use  it  energetically. 

The  Aleuts  now  upon  Kyslika  are  probal)ly 
happier  than  they  would  Ije  if  in  Atka,  for 
although  they  get  no  tish  they  have  plenty  of 
sea-lion  meat.  At  the  time  of  our  visit  meat 
and  flippers  were  hanging  upon  poles  to  dry, 
and  the  stomachs  of  sea  lions  tilled  with  blub- 
ber lay  around  on  the  ground  ripening.  The 
blubber  is  cut  and  })acked  into  these  paunches, 
which  are  large  enough  to  hold  tifteen  or 
twent}'  gallons,  and  the  opening  l)eing  securely 
tied,  they  remain  in  this  condition  till  decompo- 
sition occurs,  when,  rancid  and  un])leasant  as  it 
Avould  l)e  to  some  people,  the  oil  is  acceptable 
to  the  Aleuts,  young  and  old,  as  honey  to  the 
followers  of  Moses  in  the  desert.  From  the 
great  paunches  of  the  sea  lion  it  is  poured  into 
bladders  and  kept  at  hand  read}',  like  golden 
syrup,  to  be  poured  over  the  dried  seal  or  sea- 
lion  meat,  or  tish,  as  the  case  may  be,  when  it 
forms  a  luxurious  lubricator.  When  the  weaned 
baby  wakes  up  crying  in  the  night,  a  small  skin 
of  rancid  oil   is  put  to   its   mouth,  and   as   the 


138  yi    TRIP    TO   ALASKA. 

smooth  liquid  glides  down  its  throat,  it  acts  like 
soothing  syrup,  and  under  its  magical  influence 
the  little  darling  sinks  to  sleep  again  and  re- 
sumes its  pleasant  dreams  of  beautifid  angels 
with  tli})pcrs  for  wings,  tiocking  about  the  beach 
or  in  the  Mater. 

In  addition  to  sea  lion  the  ^vomen  and 
children  of  Kyslika,  whose  husbands  and 
fathers  were  away  hunting  the  sea -otter, 
were  revelling  in  whale-meat  and  blubber,  a 
grampus  having  come  ashore  on  the  morning 
of  our  arrival.  Consequently  they  -were  hai)[)y. 
AVheu  there  is  plenty  of  meat  and  blabber  at 
home  and  the  men  are  abroad,  affairs  go  on 
quietly  but  rather  monotonously  in  an  Aleutian 
settlement.  It  requires  the  men  to  obtain 
sugar,  manufacture  (juass,  get  drunk,  and 
beat  their  wives  to   drive  dull  care   away. 

In  the  year  1S05  the  peo})le  of  Oinnnak 
Island  discovered  smoke  or  steam  ascending 
from  the  sea  al)out  thirt}'  miles  to  the  noi'th- 
ward  of  them.  The  vai)or  was  succeeded  l)y 
fire  and  ashes,  and  tlie  volcanic  eruption  con- 
tinued till  an  island  or  rock  was  created, 
which  now  forms  one  of  the  most  striking  of 
the  Aleutians,  all  of  which  are  l)old  and 
l)ictures(iue.  This  latest  formation  of  the 
archipelago,    an    island    known    to    have    been 


ISLAXDS,  ROCKS,  AXD   MUMMIES.  13'J 

mised  up  out  of  the  sea  within  the  memory 
of  m:m,  was  named  for  St.  John,  the  Theo- 
logian (Bogoslov),  Some  portions  of  the 
original  formation  have  fallen  down,  it  would 
appear,  for  it  is  certainly  not  now  so  large 
as  it  is  reported  to  have  been.  Its  height 
is  about  two  hundred  and  seventy  feet,  and  its 
length  along  the  crest  from  north  to  south,  — 
its  longest  line  —  is  somewhat  over  five  hun- 
dred feet.  It  rises  from  the  water's  edge  on 
both  sides  to  a  sharp  ridge,  the  walls  being 
as  steep  as  a  (lotliic  roof.  A  few  hundred 
yards  out  from  the  northernmost  extremity 
of  the  island  stands  a  pillar  sixty-seven  feet 
high,  looking  at  a  distance  like  a  sentinel 
posted  to  keep  watch  for  the  approach  of  an 
enemy. 

As  we  tirst  saw  Bogoslov  it  loomed  dimly 
through  the  distance  of  a  misty  atmos[)here  in 
a  threatening  manner,  its  size  being  apparently 
magnified  by  the  thick  weather.  As  Ave  ap- 
])r()ached,  and  its  dim  outlines  were  sharpened 
into  jagged  points  all  along  its  suumiits.  tlocks 
of  sea  birds  l)eg;ui  to  circle  out  around  the 
steamer,  at  tirst  kee})ing  a  nvsjMX'tful  distance, 
Itut  as  other  tlocks  saik-d  out  to  reinforce  the 
skirniish(>rs  all  came  whirling  closer  and  closer 
to  inspect   the   strange   visitor,  for  shijjs  seldom 


140  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

sail  within  sight  of  Bogoslov.  Next  u  band  of 
sea  lions  appeared  on  our  port  beam,  their 
sharp  noses  stickinir  out  of  the  Avater  like  hoa's, 
making  their  way  toward  the  rock  which  is 
their  Gibraltar.  Looking  surprised  at  tiie 
steamer,  which  was  between  them  and  the 
island,  thev  tinally  settled  down  out  of  si^ht 
beneath  the  Avaves. 

Sharper  now  became  the  projections  of  the 
rock,  and  the  nunrl)er  of  birds  thickened  the 
air  as  we  steamed  ahead  through  the  nn'st.  Ap- 
proaching still  nearer,  the  sky  overhanging  the 
island  was  absolutely  blackened  by  1)irds  on  the 
wing,  that  swung  and  careered  oyer  tlieir  rocky 
home  as  mosquitoes  are  seen  to  darken  the  air 
at  wood-landings  in  the  evening  along  the  upj)er 
^Missouri  River.  The  sky  was  almost  shut  out 
from  view  hy  birds. 

At  the  foot  of  this  immense  rock,  and  from 
end  to  end,  the  narrow  beach  is  fringed  with 
sea  lions  which  occupy  the  base  as  water  fowl 
hold  possession  up  al)Ovc.  The  foaming  waves 
which  break  on  the  scattered  fallen  boulders 
forl)id  the  ap})roach  of  a  boat,  and  as  the  sides 
are  too  steej)  for  scaling,  the  inhabitants  above 
and  ])elow  rest  in  apparent  security  from  ma- 
rauding man.  The  fat,  chubby,  o])long  murre, 
which  at  lirst  came    to  meet   us   in  lon<r   lines, 


IlSLAyns,  ROCKS,  AXD  MUMMIES.  141 

circling  around  the  vessel  from  stem  to  stern 
Avitli  sidelong  looks,  as  if  inspecting  hull  and 
rigging,  followed  us  out  with  an  impudent  aii- 
of  invitinii"  us  to  come  and  get  them  if  Me  could. 

These  birds,  though  strong  on  the  wino-  ^vhen 
once  in  the  air,  are  so  short  and  stout  that,  un- 
less heading  toward  the  wind,  they  experience 
trouble  in  rising  from  the  water.  Being  alarmed 
when  floating  on  the  weaves  they  throw  out 
tiieir  short  wings  and  flap  and  flutter  like  gos- 
lings making  an  unsuccessful  attempt  at  flight. 
With  the  wind  abaft  they  often  fail  to  rise  at 
all,  and  after  half-running  and  flapping  on  the 
surface  of  the  water  for  a  few  rods,  their 
webl)ed  feet  aiding  in  sustaining  them,  they 
suddeidy  bethink  themselves  of  another  way  of 
escape,  and,  like  alarmed  prairie  dogs  starting 
into  the  flrst  holes  they  can  tind,  they  plunge 
beneath  the  waves,  and  are  seen  no  more. 

There  are  other  volcanic  rocks  and  islands, 
and  there  are  active  volcanoes,  too,  on  the 
course  we  have  travelled  from  Attou  to  Bogos- 
lov,  among  the  most  noted  of  which  are  the 
Four  ^Mountains.  It  may  l)e  repeated  that 
there  is  not  a  bit  of  tame  scenery  in  the  Aleu- 
tian Archipelago  from  the  })eninsula  to  the  west- 
ern limit  of  our  possessions.  ]\rountains  of 
the  most  pictures([U(>  character  rise  abruptly  out 


142  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

of  the  sea,  their  summits  being  veiled  in  elouds 
or  banks  of  mist,  their  sides  covered  Avilii 
snow.  ^\'e  have  1)een  cruisini>-  along  the 
Alaskan  mainland  and  islands  from  ]\Iay  to 
July  from  ('a})e  Fox  to  Attou,  and  never  yet 
Irivc  Ave  seen  land  without  snow.  Not  alone 
l)acke(l  high  up  in  cool  crevices,  but  down 
ahnost  to  the  water's  edge.  Yet  the  agricul- 
tural resources  of  this  country  are  actu.-iUy 
asserted  l)v  certain  writers  on  Alaska  to  e(jual 
those  of  New  England,  where  corn  cakes  and 
])U!npkin  pies  Hourish.  At  Four  ^Mountains, 
one  of  the  islands  passed  on  the  run  from 
Attou,  nuimniies  are  found  in  a  cave,  and 
though  we  did  not  touch  at  the  island  and  con- 
se(|uently  could  not  have  descended  into  the 
cave  to  resurrect  any  of  the  remains,  the  writer 
saw  at  least  one  nnnnmy  said  to  hiivo  been 
brought  from  Four  Mountains  ;  and  re})orts  of 
them  having  been  once  de})ositcd  there  in  mun- 
bers  are  too  well  authenticated  to  be  doul)te<l. 
It  is  stated  that  previous  to  having  l)een  con- 
verted to  Christianity  it  was  the  custom  of  the 
Aleuts  to  subject  their  dead  heroes  to  the  con- 
densing influences  of  ;'.  sti'cam  of  cold  water  for 
a  nmnber  of  cLiys,  after  which  the  ''  subject"  was 
:i!w;iys  ])laced  in  a  sitting  [)osture  within  a  cav(\ 
where  the  tUish  hardened  and  remained  U})()n  the 


ISLANDS,  ROCKS,  AND  MUMMIES.  143 

bones.  The  process  was  a  simple  and  effective 
water  cure,  but  is  most  worthy  of  consideration 
in  contrast  witli  the  custom  of  southeastern 
Ahiska  and  British  Cohmibia  Indians,  who  burn 
the  bodies  of  their  dead,  while  those  of  the 
plains  lay  the  remains  away  in  tree  tops  or  up 
on  poles  to  dry.  On  the  Aleutian  IsUuids  fuel 
is  so  scarce  as  to  be  mors  precious  than  dead 
1)odie3,  even  of  heroes,  and  it  could  not  be  ap- 
propriated to  cremation,  but  water  was  found 
to  answer  the  purposes  of  preservation  and  it 
was  cheap.  In  southeastern  Alaska  and  British 
Columbia  the  supply  of  wood  is,  to  the  Indian 
mind,  inexhaustible  and  there  the  dead  are 
])y  fire  preserved  from  corruption.  On  the 
plains  the  sun-god  rarities  the  atmosphere  till  it 
is  all-sufficient  to  mummify  the  dead  body ;  and 
so  the  children  of  nature  live  upon  nature 
wherever  they  may  be,  always  having  their 
ideas  of  the  future  colored  by  their  surround- 
in  ofs. 


CHAPTER  XIV, 


OUR    ARCTIC    RELATIONS. 


"TI^ETURXIXG  from  the  western  extremity 
-*-  ^  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  to  Onalaska,  the 
"Rush"  was  coaled,  watered,  and  prepared  for 
another  cruise.  On  July  10  she  steamed  out 
from  Onalaska  harbor,  headed  northward,  and 
was  soon  under  the  encouraging  influences  of  a 
southwesterly  breeze  which  promised  to  be  of 
great  assistance.  On  the  next  day,  howevei-, 
the  breeze  was  succeeded  b}'  a  calm  and  great 
heavy  swells,  which  came  rolling  in  from  the 
(juarter  whence  we  had  our  favoring  wind  on 
the  day  before.  It  was  a  beautiful  day  in  the 
sense  of  stillness,  but  the  shy  was  overcast  as 
usual.  It  was  said  that  as  soon  as  we  got  north 
of  the  parallel  of  the  fur-seal  islands  we  should 
have  sunshiny  weather,  but  our  experience  all 
the  way  up  through  Behring  Sea  and  Behring 
Straits  into  the  Arctic  was  such  as  to  dispel  the 
idea  of  clear  skies  in  the  region  visited.  There 
was  sunshine,  it  is  true,  l)ut  in  very  small 
144 


OUR  ARCTIC  RELATIOXS.  145 

quantities  compared  with  the  thick  weather 
encountered.  On  July  11  we  passed  the  lati- 
tude of  the  seal  islands  and  had  fog  all  day. 
On  the  12th  the  sky  was  overcast  all  day. 
On  the  loth  'We  passed  St.  Lawrence  Island, 
and  that  night  lay  to,  owing  to  the  bad  weather. 
Soundings  had  been  taken  at  intervals  all  along 
up  from  Onalaska,  giving  only  fifteen  to  twent}' 
fathoms  at  forty  to  sixty  miles  from  land.  The 
eastern  side  of  IJehring  Sea  is  very  shoal,  and 
probably  has  less  depth  now  than  when  any  of 
the  surveys  recorded  upon  existing  charts  were 
made.  The  Kuskoquim  and  Yukon,  both  im- 
mense rivers,  continue  to  bring  down  hundreds 
of  tons  of  mud  daily,  which  is  deposited  and 
spread  out  along  the  shore  and  far  to  seaward. 
The  Yukon,  like  the  ]Mississip})i,  has  an  enor- 
mous deposit  at  the  sea,  compelling  the  water 
to  seek  such  outlets  as  it  can  force  through 
the  immense  Ixars.  Its  moutiis  are  numerous, 
but  all  shallow,  preventing  vessels  of  any  con- 
siderable draft  from  entering  or  even  approach- 
ing, but  the  river  itself  is  as  large,  once  in.  and 
as  navigable  as  the  Father  of  Waters.  The 
Kuskoquim  is  similar  in  character,  and  the 
latter  is  gradually  tilling  up  the  sea  south  of 
the  Yukon.  Around  the  shore  from  otf  the 
mouth  of  the  Yukon  to  St.  Michael's  there  is. 


146  A   TRIP    TO  ALASKA. 

in  places,  not  more  than  three  fathoms  of  water 
iifteen  miles  from  land. 

The  weather  had  ])een  against  us  latterly  to 
a  discourai>-ino-  deiiree.      Captain  Bailev  started 

COO  1  «/ 

nortlnvard  with  a  view  to  investigating  the 
illicit  rum  traffic  in  violation  of  the  revenue 
laws  in  liehring  Straits,  and  with  favorable 
weather  something  might  have  been  accom- 
l)lished.  Thick  fogs,  however,  going  uj)  and 
coming  down,  shut  out  the  land  at  times  when 
it  was  most  desirable  to  cruise  close  to  shore  in 
shoal  waters.  V\e  entered  the  Straits  on  the 
nigiit  of  the  fourteenth,  and  it  was  hoped  we 
might  have  clear  weather. 

About  four  o'clock  on  the  morning  oi'-the 
fifteenth  we  passed  Fairway  llock,  dimly  seen 
through  the  thick  fog  rising  abruptly  out  of  the 
water,  looking  at  a  short  distance  like  a  hay- 
stack. A\'e  had  a  l)eller  view  of  it  after  mid- 
night on  the  sixteenth,  and  at  live  miles  distance 
it  showed  up  naked  and  al)rupt,  rising  live 
luuidred  feet  above  the  water  Avithout  so  much 
as  a  spoonful  of  soil  or  a  leaf  of  vegetation  visi- 
ble upon  it.  Fairway  IJock  stands  just  south 
of  the  Diomede  Ishuuls,  between  which,  only 
live  mih.\s  apart,  the  line  runs  which  separates 
America  from  Asia,  the  United  States  from 
liussia,  or,  to  put  it  still  more  niceh^,  the  line 
between  Alaska  and  Siberia. 


OUR  ARCTIC  RELATIONS.  147 

The  Diomedes  are  two  islands  in  Behrinir 
Straits  almost  in  a  line  between  Cape  Prince  of 
"Wales  on  one  side  and  East  Cape  on  the  other. 
From  Cape  Prince  of  "Wales  to  the  most  easterly 
of  the  two  islands  is  twenty  miles ;  from  East 
Cape  to  the  larger  and  most  westerly  of  the 
Diomedes  is  twenty-five  miles  ;  from  outside  to 
outside  of  both  is  about  nine  miles,  making 
fift\'-four  miles  across  from  continent  to  conti- 
nent, with  two  stepping-stones  between.  The 
narrowest  point,  however,  is  a  trifle  north  of 
this,  where  the  crossing  may  be  made  to  East 
Cape,  in  a  direct  line,  in  forty-eight  miles. 

Intercourse  between  the  natives  on  either  side 
has  long  been  maintained,  longer  than  we  or 
they  can  tell.  They  have  crossed  from  one 
continent  to  the  other  in  large,  open  l)oats,  and 
still  do  so  for  the  exchange  of  commodities  : 
and  doubtless  for  hundreds,  if  not  thousands, 
of  years  before  Columbus  crossed  the  Atlantic 
tlicre  was  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage 
l)etween  Asia  and  America.  Xow.  on  our  ex- 
treme northwestern  coast  tlic  pco]ilc  are  called 
Eskimos.  Farther  to  the  eastward  and  south- 
ward their  cousins  are  called  Xorth  American 
Indians. 

At  the  })resont  time  considerable  traffic-  is 
made  by   "pirates"   with   our    Indians,    on   the 


148  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

shores  of  Behrino;  Straits  and  the  Arctic,  in 
bone,  oil,  and  wah'us  ivory.  Neither  the  oil 
nor  ivory  are  very  vahiahle,  but  Avhale])one  is 
Avorth  three  dollars  a  pound  in  New  York,  and 
the  manner  in  Avhich  it  is  obtained  from  the 
Indians  leaves  the  trader  a  clear  protit  of  about 
two  dollars  and  a  half  per  pound.  Rum  is 
bought  in  Honolulu  for  seventj'-tive  cents  a  gal- 
lon ;  it  is  watered  one-half,  and  a  a'fdlon  of  this 
diluted  but  villainous  drink  is  given  for  a  pound 
of  bone. 

The  Arcti(!  is  the  summer  residence  of  the 
right  and  bowhead  whales,  the  only  kinds  from 
which  great  quantities  of  l)one  are  obtained.  A 
bowhead  will  furnish  from  a  thousand  to  two 
thousand  pounds  of  l)one,  all  of  which  comes 
out  of  the  mouth.  l)ut  which  is  not  l)one  at  all. 
Right  whales  arc  not  quite  so  valuable  for  bone, 
but  contain  more  oil.  They  yield  from  a  hun- 
dred to  a  hundred  and  fifty  barrels  of  oil,  as  a 
general  thing.  ])ut  as  nuich  as  three  hundred 
barrels  of  oil  have  been  taken  from  a  single 
whale. 

The  Indians  up  this  way  go  to  sea  in  skin 
•Iwats  and  strike  whales  when  discovered,  hav- 
ing seal-skin  huoys  at  the  ends  of  their  harpoon 
lines,  so  that  if  the  monster  gets  away  the\^ 
have  a  chance  to  follow  him  up.    Their  old  bar- 


OUR  ARCTIC  RELATIONS.  149 

poons  Avere  made  of  glass  heads,  that  with  every 
struggle  worked  farther  and  farther  into  the 
flesh,  and  when  thrown  in  sufficient  numbers 
resulted  in  bleeding  the  animal  to  death.  Of 
course  tlie  capture  of  a  whale  is  an  important 
atfair  to  these  people,  as  in  addition  to  a  thou- 
sand pounds  of  bone  and  a  hundred  l)arrels  of 
oil  they  get  an  innnense  supply  of  meat,  which 
is  buried  for  future  use.  Even  though  the  whale 
should  come  ashore  weeks  after  the  hunt  and  be 
found  in  a  putrid  condition,  the  ))one  is  good, 
and  the  flesh  is  not  wasted. 

The  traffic  about  Cape  Prince  of  Wales  and 
Clarence  Sound  between  ''  jjirates  "  and  the  Es- 
kimos resulted  in  a  number  of  murders  a  few 
years  ago.  Kum  and  breech-loading  rifles  were 
furnished  to  the  natives  in  exchange  for  their 
commodities,  and  the  result  was  not  conducive 
to  the  welfare  of  the  natives,  profitable  to  the 
revenues  of  the  country,  nor  just  to  legitimate 
traders  who  have  scruples  against  infraction  of 
the  laws  of  the  land  and  of  morals.  The  In- 
dians along  the  straits  get  some  land  furs  also, 
Mliich  form  a  considerable  item  in  this  trade, 
although  the  skins  are  by  no  means  so  valuable 
as  those  obtained  farther  south  in  Alaska. 

The  rum  dealt  out  to  the  Indians  is  not  only 
l)ad    in    that    it  is   of   the   cheapest    quality   of 


150  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

sorghum  fermentation,  hut  it  is  vile  in  re- 
spect that  if  is  smuggled  in  from  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  while  honest  Pennsylvania  and  Ken- 
tucky whiske}^  P^iys  a  tax  of  ninety  cents  a 
gallon. 

A  remedy  could  and  should  be  found  for  this 
state  of  affairs,  and  it  might  be  applied  with 
profit  to  the  public  purse. 

What  is  needed  is  a  United  States  steam 
vessel  of  about  five  hundred  tons,  that  would 
be  able  to  carry  enough  coal  from  San  Francisco 
or  Nanaimo  for  a  six  months'  cruise.  She  should 
be  constructed  Avith  a  view  to  going  into  the 
ice  without  having  her  stern-post  and  rudder 
carried  away.  She  should  ])e  ready  to  enter 
the  straits  as  soon  as  the  ice  o}KMied,  in  May 
or  June,  and  cruise  along  the  coast  as  high  up 
as  Kotzebue  Sound,  or  even  to  Icy  Cape,  and 
down  to  Port  Chirence,  then  work  along  the 
coast  southward  to  San  Francisco  for  winter 
quarters.  A  vessel  of  that  class  so  managed 
would  doubtless  ))reak  up  the  i)iralical  opera- 
tions which  ha\e  been  carried  on  in  these 
waters. 

The  "  Push  "  made  an  unsuccessful  run  to 
the  Arctic  because  she  was  too  late,  not  ])eing 
risfired  for  iroinii"  into  the  ice  with  safetv,  and 
because    her    sliort    su])})ly  of  coal    would    not 


OUR  ARCTIC  RELATIONS.  151 

admit  of  her  remaining;  so  far  north  in  bad 
weather.  Had  the  weather  been  clear  she  might 
have  run  across  a  contraband  trader,  even  at 
that  hite  day  in  the  season,  althoug-h  those  ves- 
sels were  supposed  to  be  generally  to  the  north 
and  east  of  Ca})e  Prince  of  AVales,  es})ecially 
such  as  are  rigged  for  whaling  as  well  as  trading. 
A'^either  in  the  straits  nor  in  the  Arctic  did  we 
see  a  sail  of  any  size  or  shape,  —  not  even  a 
canoe  ;  and  it  was  only  at  short  intervals  that  we 
could  see  the  land. 

At  7.30  O'clock  on  the  morning  of  the 
fifteenth  of  July,  —  then,  according  to  dead 
reckoning,  under  the  lee  of  the  Dioniedes,  with 
Cape  Prince  of  Wales  on  the  starboard  l)eam,  cal- 
culating from  Fairway  Rock,  the  last  land  seen, 
—  the  ''Push"  was  hove  to  for  clear  weather. 
Dredging  was  commenced  again  m  the  cause  of 
science,  and  it  at  once  l)ecame  ap])arcnt  that  we 
were  drifting  rapidly  to  the  nortlnvard.  This 
continued  with  thick  fog  till  five  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  when  the  veil  lifted  and  we  picked 
ourselves  up,  according  to  observation,  twenty- 
six  miles  to  the  northward  of  the  Dioniedes  and 
forty  miles  northeastwardly  from  East  Ca})e  to 
Siberia.  We  had  drifted  \vith  the  current  at 
least  twenty  miles  during  the  day  and  were  well 
into  the  Arctic  Ocean. 


152  A    TlilP   TO  ALASKA. 

As  far  as  could  Ijg  seen  to  the  northward  the 
sky  Avas  clear  and  the  Asiatic  coast,  which  trends 
off  to  the  northwestward,  was  visible  for  tifty  or 
sixty  miles,  but  the  American  side  was  still  en- 
veloped in  a  thick  fog.  Al)0ut  six  o'clock  this 
lifted  so  as  to  show  the  top  of  a  mountain  on 
Cape  Prince  of  Wales  for  a  few  minutes,  but 
this  soon  disappeared  airain.  Presently,  how- 
ever, the  gr:iy  mists  began  to  move  off  to  the 
northeast,  and  then  the  rugged  line  of  peaks  on 
the  extreme  northwestwardly  point  of  our  pos- 
sessions stood  out  picturesquely,  the  low  land 
along  the  coast  northeastward  of  the  cape  l)eing 
still,  and  to  the  last,  concealed  from  view. 

Then  we  had  before  us  a  nol)le  picture  of  the 
bold  headland  of  Siberia  on  the  starboard  l)eam. 
Cape  Prince  of  Wales  on  the  port,  and,  lying 
almost  equidistant  between  them,  the  Dioniedes 
at  the  head  of  the  straits.  We  were  in  the 
Arctic,  with  a  pleasant  but  cool  evening ;  the 
thermometer  indicating  .32''  above  all  day.  It 
promised  to  be  a  clear  night,  and  Avith  this  hope 
Ave  got  under  Avay,  headed  southward  for  the 
straits  again,  intending  to  lay  in  under  the  south- 
ern shore  of  Cape  Prince  of  Wales  to  ascertain 
the  condition  of  affairs  thereabouts. 

A  strong  current  was  setting  up  from  P)eh- 
ring  Sea  created  in  })art  l)y  the  southeast  Avinds 


OUR  ARCTIC  RELATIONiS.  153 

which  we  had  experienced  on  our  way  north, 
and  we  made  slow  progress  against  it.  Still 
we  had  i)lenty  of  time  to  reach  the  Cape  be- 
fore morning,  if  "  morning"  can  be  understood 
where  there  is  no  night,  and  there  Avas  no  ap- 
parent cause  for  anxiety.  Once  more  we  began 
to  hope  for  an  all-da}'  sun,  but  again,  by  half 
past  ten,  the  northern  sky  was  obscured  by  a 
bank  of  clouds  which  had  come  up  out  of  the 
southwest.  The  sun  disappeared  behind  the 
clouds  but  darkness  did  not  come.  At  11  r.:\i. 
the  sky  in  the  southeast  was  aglow  with  reflec- 
tions from  behind  the  clouds  in  the  o})posite 
point,  over  which  the  purple  and  crimson 
fringed  clouds  held  out  a  signal  that  the  sun 
was  still  above  the  horizon.  As  these  hues 
faded  out,  a  delicate  straw  tint  appeared  above 
the  low  clouds  in  the  north,  and  this  soon 
deepened  to  a  satiVon  which  by  midnight  be- 
came a  rich  sjilmon  color,  and  dawn  was  an- 
nounced as  at  hand  in  all  her  glory.  xVlthough 
during  the  night  and  at  twelve  o'clock  the 
northern  sky  was  obscured  l)y  clouds,  about 
nine  degrees  above  the  horizon  there  was  a 
broad  rent  upon  which  the  changes  going  on 
l)elow  were  recorded,  that  we  might  see  and 
know.  There  was  an  abundance  of  clear  sky 
overhead,  the  l)lue  of  dav  so  liu'ht  that  not  a 


154  A    TRIP    TO  ALASKA. 

star  could  make  itself  visible  at  any  time.  It 
was  cleiir  day  all  night,  briuliter  at  twelve 
than  at  eleven,  if  ]:)()ssible,  and  ])rigliter  at  one 
in  the  morning  than  at  twelve,  and  brighter 
then  also  than  at  breakfast  time,  when  the 
clouds  and  fog   prevailed. 

The  fog  had  formed  in  fanciful  shapes,  owing 
to  the  uneven  surface  of  the  land  from  which  it 
had  Ijeen  lifted,  and  through  this  the  light  of 
the  morning  sun,  toned  by  the  strong  colors  of 
the  north,  were  cast  in  a  wonderfully  striking 
manner.  The  pale  sea  green,  like  the  sun 
siiining  through  the  crest  of  a  Avave,  appeared 
in  the  north,  again  bordered  by  purple  of  richest 
dye,  while  crimson  and  molten  gold  appeared 
lower  down.  The  "l)rassy"  character  of  the 
sunset  two  nights  before  was  here  absent,  the 
effects  now  being  of  the  richest  character  possi- 
l)le  to  conceive. 

Turning  out  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning 
and  going  upon  deck,  it  was  ascertained  that  at 
3.30  A.  31.  the  fog  had  shut  out  the  land,  and 
the  "  Kush "' was  ol)liged  to  haul  otl",  owing  to 
the  presence  of  shoals  and  reefs  which  could 
only  be  avoided  in  clear  weather,  as  charts  can- 
not l)e  relied  on  for  information  concerning 
them.  Then  we  stood  down  the  straits  again 
with   the    intention    of  j)utting   in  to  Port  Clar- 


OUR  ARCTIC  RELATIONS.  155 

ence,  a  resort  of  northern  cruisers  ;  but  this 
could  not  be  made  with  safety,  owing  to  the 
thiclv  weather;  and  there  was  nothing  to  be 
done  but  continue  southward  against  wind  and 
tide.  A  two-knot  current  sets  up  through  the 
straits  and  tliat  is  what  makes  this  the  most  de- 
sirable route  for  entering  the  Arctic.  It  is 
well  known  to  whalers  that  they  can  get  into 
the  polar  sea  through  Ik^hring  Straits  much 
earlier  than  from  the  head  of  the  Atlantic. 

Coming  southward  the  temperature  of  the 
sea  water  ran  up  ten  degrees  in  one  day  ;  enter- 
ing Xorton  Sound,  it  went  up  six  degrees  in  an 
hour.  Soundings  yesterday  showed  shallow 
water  all  the  way  down  on  our  side  of  Behring 
Straits,  ten  miles  off  Port  Clarence  giving  only 
seven  and  a  half  fathoms,  whieh  was  also  about 
the  depth  for  hours  in  Xorton  Sound  till  it 
shoaled  to  three  and  a  half.  The  water  here  is 
shallow,  warmed  and  discolored  1)}'  the  sand 
from  the  Yukon  Uiver.  The  saline  matter  is 
twenty  per  cent  less  than  that  in  the  Arctic. 


CHAPTEE  XV. 

ST.  Michael's  and  the  yukon. 

OT.  MICHAEL'S,  or  Michaelovsky  Redoubt, 
'^  as  it  was  formerly  called,  stands  upon  an 
island  in  the  southeast  bend  of  Norton's  Sound, 
beino-  situated  in  latitude  63°  29'  54"  north,  and 
162°  8'  west  longitude.  This  was  established 
as  a  landing-place  and.  headquarters  of  the 
Russian-American  Company  for  the  Yukon 
River  trade. 

In  olden  times  —  that  is  to  say,  under  Russian 
rule  —  all  goods  intended  for  the  Yukon  trade 
were  landed  here,  and  generally  taken  around 
to  the  river  in  skin  l)oats,  or  bidarras,  but  at 
})resent  small  stern-wheel  steamboats  are  em- 
ployed for  that  purpose.  These  boats  do  not 
go  out  to  sea  from  St.  Michael's,  but  pass 
through  a  sort  of  slough  or  canal,  to  the  river, 
which  they  reach  in  about  fifty  miles.  They 
carry  merchandise  up  to  the  various  trading 
})osts  in  the  summer,  and  in  the  following 
spring  bring  down  the  furs  which  are  received 
during  the  winter  months. 

150 


ST.  illCHAEL'S  AND   THE   YUKON.  157 

The  Alaska  Commercial  Company  occupies 
the  old  redoubt,  a  picturesque  collection  of  log 
buildings  on  one  side  of  the  bay,  while  three 
miles  across  were  a  number  of  new  buildings, 
headquarters  of  the  Western  Fur  and  Trading 
Compan3\  On  the  same  side  with  the  redoubt, 
about  half  a  mile  away,  is  the  ^Nlahlemute  vil- 
lage, consisting  of  thirty  or  forty  log  huts  and 
a  "  kashima,"  or  club-house,  where  the  Indians 
consre2:ate  to  dance  and  sweat  in  cold  weather. 

When  the  "Rush"  arrived,  a  number  of 
Yukon  Indians  were  gathered  about  the  Western 
Fur  and  Trading  Company's  1)uildings,  having 
come  down  with  the  traders  to  get  supplies  for 
the  ensuing  season.  They  were  in  a  despond- 
ent condition  at  that  time,  owing  to  the  non- 
arrival  of  the  vessel  which  was  to  bring  the 
goods  and  the  little  steamer.  But  when  we 
reported  the  arrival  of  their  schooner  at  Ona- 
laska,  with  the  assurance  that  she  might  be 
expected  at  the  termination  of  her  voyage 
within  a  few  days,  there  were  great  rejoicings, 
and  the  Indians  danced  and  sang  all  night. 

In  this  country,  where,  at  this  season  of  the 
year,  there  is  daylight  all  night,  there  is  a  splen- 
did chance  for  making  a  long  dance,  and  where 
beef  is  unknown  and  waterfowl  are  super- 
abundant, an  eo-o-  festival  in  season  takes  a  form 


158  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

of  barbaric  gorgeousness  that  makes  a  powerful 
impression  on  one  during  his  first  visit.  Here 
where  the  natives  w^ear  fur  parkies,  or  over- 
shirts  with  liood  attached,  and  deerskin  boots 
of  fancy  manufacture  and  varied  hue,  and  where 
blubber  is  considered  almost  indispensable, 
there  is  much  for  the  visitor  from  civilization  to 
see  and  consider. 

Eggs  here  in  season  are  estimated  by  the 
bushel.  Bushels  of  them  are  cooked  for  a  meal 
wdiere  there  may  be  a  dozen  of  guests,  and 
hard-boiled  goose  eggs  are  eaten  with  impunity 
in  such  enormous  quantities  as  in  civilized  com- 
munities would  be  considered  certain  death. 

The  Yukon  salmon  are  pronounced  the  finest 
on  the  Pacihc  Coast,  (ienerally  s})eakinfr,  sal- 
mon is  dry  and  tasteless.  The  Columbia  River 
furnishes  an  almost  inexhaustible  quantity,  but 
a  better  quality  is  taken  further  north.  Sitka 
is  also  famous  for  salmon,  but  Cook's  Inlet  and 
Bristol  Bay  have  those  that  are  better.  Yet 
persons  who  have  tried  all  say  that  they  are 
best  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon  and  in  adjacent 
waters.  They  range  in  weight  from  forty  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty  pounds,  and  are  very  fat  and 
well  flavored.  AMien  drying  in  the  sun  the  oil 
drips  out  of  them,  and  once  dried  they  may  be 
set  on  fire  and  they  will  l)urn  like  pine  knots. 


ST.  MICHAEL'S  AND    THE   YUKON.  159 

Taken  raw  out  of  the  brine  up  here,  they  are 
eaten  with  great  relish  by  the  civilized,  as  well 
as  the  savage,  inhabitants.  But  accepting  such 
a  diet  may  be  only  another  proof  of  the  readi- 
ness with  which  man  ada})ts  himself  to  his  sur- 
roundings. There  is  no  beef  here,  and  for  some 
years  past  there  has  been  little  or  no  reindeer. 
At  the  present  time  moose  is  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, and  rabbits  are  as  scarce  as  spring  chicken. 
Vegetables  are  the  rarest  of  luxuries,  and  ber- 
ries out  of  season.  Therefore,  if  one  can  set 
him  down  to  a  feast  of  hard-boiled  goose  eggs 
or  raw  salmon  fi"om  the  brine,  after  having:: 
been  surfeited  on  salt  pork  and  corned  beef  on 
shipboard,  the  change  of  diet  is  delightful,  and 
the  feast  is  })ron()unced  a  success. 

There  are  no  gardens  at  St.  ^Michael's.  What 
could  you  expect  in  such  a  country,  although, 
just  now,  it  is  delightful?  Last  week  we  had 
the  thermometer  down  to  thirty-two  Fahrenheit, 
and  forty  was  considered  "away  up." 

Here,  in  Norton's  Sound,  the  ice  did  not 
break  up  till  the  7th  of  June.  On  the  10th  it 
moved  out  of  the  bay,  but  the  weather  was  cold, 
wet,  and  stormy  till  late  in  July.  In  the  win- 
ter the  thermometer  gc)(>s  down  thirty  to  fifty 
degrees  below  zero,  and  it  is  winter  here  eight 
months    in    the    year.     The    hot    days  are  the 


160  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

exception,  even  in  summer,  although  berries 
grow  plentifully,  and  even  ripen  well,  back  in 
the  mountains.  We  had  mosquitoes,  too,  on 
the  first  day  of  our  stay  ;  fine,  large,  earnest 
mosquitoes,  and  barn  swallows  are  plentiful 
about  the  redoubt.  Yet  in  spite  of  all  these 
signs  of  summer,  agriculture  will  never  form  an 
important  feature  of  this  part  of  Alaska. 

It  would  be  a  peculiar  country  which  would 
j)roduce  walruses  and  polar  bears,  watermelons 
and  tomatoes.  "Walruses  go  away  south  of  this 
into  Bristol  Bay,  while  St.  Matthew's  Island, 
one  of  our  possessions  to  the  southwest  of  this, 
is  inhabited  by  polar  bears  exclusively,  neither 
Chinamen,  whites,  nor  negroes  having  any  recog- 
nized rights  there.  As  a  purely  agricultural 
proposition  I  do  not  hesitate  to  put  it  down 
that  polar  bears  are  worse  than  coons  for  green 
corn,  and  walruses  are  more  discouraging  than 
your  neighbor's  chickens  to  a  tomato  patch. 
As  long  as  polar  bears  and  walruses  are  per- 
mitted to  run  at  large  in  this  Territory,  the  corn 
and  tomato  crop  cannot  prosper.  Some  people 
may  laugh  at  the  meditative  walrus,  and  ask 
how,  with  those  long  tusks,  he  can  eat  without 
standing  on  his  head,  but  I  have  observed  that 
where  Avalruses  al)ound  ripe  tomatoes  are  scarce, 
except  in  cans,  and  if  those  amphibious  animals 


,S2'.   MICHAEL'S  AXD    THE   Yl'KOX.  161 

and  polar  bears  are  not  kept  yoked  or  muzzled 
there  is  no  use  looking  for  a  larae  corn  and 
tomato  crop  from  Alaska.  St.  ^Michaels,  or  to 
put  it  more  detinitely,  Michaelovsky,  is  seldom 
or  never  represented  i)v  mammoth  vegetables 
at  agricultural  fairs.  AMiere  the  ice  crop  can- 
not be  got  out  of  the  way  before  the  middle  of 
June,  Avhere  the  tops  of  the  hills  are  morasses 
all  summer,  and  where  the  inhabitants  Avill  risk 
being  drowned  for  the  sake  of  l)lubber,  when 
the  oil-skin  at  home  is  in  a  collapsed  condition, 
it  is  useless  to  expect  gigantic  pumpkins  and 
seven-foot  cucumbers.  In  this  res[)ect  St.  Mich- 
ael's greatly  reseml)les  other  })arts  of  Alaska. 

There  may  be  causes  why  certain  people 
should  come  to  Alaska  and  settle,  as  there  have 
l)een  arguments  for  making  penal  colonies  in 
the  Aleutian  Archi[)elago.  Ikit  the  reason  for 
the  one  must  l)e  that  the  inunigrants  were  })er- 
sonal  enesuies  of  those  who  advised  their  remov- 
al, and  for  the  other  that  starvation  should  l)e 
the  lot  of  all  criminals. 

But  in  truth,  from  the  southeast  to  the  south- 
W(^st  extremity  of  Ahiska.  the  "Uusli,""  which 
has  been  cruising  around  the  coast  and  is.ands 
of  this  Territory  from  early  ^lay  to  late  July, 
has  not  visited  a  spot  to  which  it  would  be 
advisal)le  for  any  person  to  come  from  any  part 


162  A   TRIP   TO    ALASKA. 

of  the  States  where  he  may  have  a  home  and 
be  able  to  earn  a  livelihood.  Nor  have  I  seen 
a  man  in  any  poiiition  in  Alaska  Avho  would 
advise  a  friend  to  come  out  here  as  a  settler, 
either  in  trade  or  agriculture. 

We  arc  here  in  the  home  of  the  Innuit  or 
Eskimo.  All  the  way  along  the  coast,  from  the 
Kuskoquim  across  the  Yukon,  around  Norton 
Sound,  out  to  Cape  Prince  of  Wales,  and  thence 
northeastwardly  to  Point  15arro\v  and  beyond, 
these  Eskimos  are  called  Innuits.  They  are 
similar  in  form  and  feature,  the}'  dress  simi- 
larly, they  eat  the  same  sort  of  food,  they  have 
similar  modes  of  conveyance,  similar  weapons 
and  implements,  have  the  same  traditions  and 
speak  the  same  language,  with  slight  local 
variations. 

It  has  been  acknowledged,  or  it  is  asserted, 
that  the  roots  of  the  language  or  tongue  s])oken 
by  these  peo})le  and  the  Eskimos  of  (jreenland 
are  identical,  the  covered  skin  boat  used  hy 
both  being  called  "kyack,"  while  the  open  boat 
is  denominated  "oomiak"  here  and  there  alike. 
l)Ut  this  might  l)e  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that 
l)()th  tril)es  have  always  lived  and  hunted  seals, 
whales,  and  Avalruses  along  the  coast,  and  al- 
though the  northeast  or  northwest  passage  is 
im))racticablc  for  ships,  connnunication  between 


.ST.  MICHAEL'S  AXD    THE   YUKOX.  163 

these  people  must  have  been  frequent,  and 
often,  doubtless,  involuntary.  In  an}'  event, 
it  may  be  assumed  as  not  at  all  improlxible  that 
the  Greenlanders  were  carried  over  from  this 
continent  on  the  ice,  as  these  men  are  now 
occasionally  carried  out  to  sea,  and  sometimes 
heard  of  no  more,  and  Jis  their  ancestors  were 
probably  carried  from  Asia. 

Such  a  case  as  this  was  reported  here,  when 
an  Inditin  trader,  In'inging"  down  a  lot  of  seal- 
skins from  Unalakleet,  represented  that  one  of 
his  men  was  carried  away  this  spring  on  the 
ice,  and  the  chief  was  inquiring  if  our  vessel 
had  found  him.  It  is  also  known  that  Captain 
Tyson  and  his  men  were  carried  two  thousand 
miles  on  ice  from  the  "Polaris"  a  few  years  ago. 
After  the  "Kush"  hove  to  under  the  lee  of 
Diomedes  on  the  tifteenth,  she  drifted  into  the 
Arctic  at  the  rate  of  two  knots  an  hour ;  so  the 
fact  that  the  Alaskan  Innuits  and  the  Greenland 
Eskimos  use  similar  words  in  similar  positions 
is  not  remarkable.  It  is  astonishing,  however, 
that  Indians  on  the  ^Mackenzie  I^ivcr.  in  British 
America,  speak  the  same  tongue  as  those  low 
down  on  the  Yukon,  with  tilleen  or  twenty 
tribes  or  bands  between  \ho\u  which  have  an 
altogether  different  tongue,  and  which  com- 
pletel\'    prevent   anything    like    communication 


164  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

l)etween  those  having  the  words  and  idioms  ;  yet 
such  is  sa'd  to  be  tlie  fact. 

These  Innuits  or  Eskimos  of  Alaska  live  by 
hunting  hair  seals,  whales,  and  walruses,  which 
furnish  them  food  and  oil  for  their  own  use  and 
with  connnoditics  for  trade  to  interior  Indians 
for  furs,  of  which  they  make  dresses  and  bed- 
covering. 

The  seal  supplies  them  with  a  hide  Avhich, 
when  tanned,  is  used  to  cover  ])oat-frames, 
forming  the  kyack  somewhat  similar  to  the 
bidarkie  of  the  Aleutians  and  Kadiakers.  These 
hides,  called  "lovtak."  are  in  great  demand  by 
the  Indians  up  the  Yukon  tor  boats,  and  those 
same  interior  men  have  a  desire  for  oil  which 
makes  an  interchange  of  connnoditics  between 
the  coast  and  inland  nalives  highly  advanta- 
geous to  both  and  of  jjrofit  to  the  white  traders, 
who  ha\(^  come  in  as  middlemen  and  as  pur- 
chasers of  the  surplus  oil  and  furs. 

The  ^valrus  is  hunted  ibr  its  ivorv,  which  is 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  arrow  and  spear 
heads,  and  also  many  other  articles  of  value 
and  adornment.  Any  animal,  from  a  whale  to 
wild  duck,  may  be  taken  by  ivory-headed 
spears,  which  are  more  ])lentifnl  among  these 
Indians  than  either  lirearms  or  iron-headed 
weapons. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

KILLING    THE    WHITE    WHALE. 

T~\URIXG  our  stay  at  St.  MichaeVs,  we  were 
-^-^  so  fortunate  as  to  witness  the  killing  of  a 
white  whale,  or  gnunpus,  by  the  Indians.  An 
Indian  who  acts  as  trader  at  Unalakleet  for  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  came  sailing  up 
the  sound  one  day  in  a  large  Ijidarra.  He  car- 
ried a  foretopsail,  and  came  floating  in  as  quietl}- 
and  gracefully  as  Elaine's  barge,  with  the  dumb 
boatman,  floated  with  the  tide  to  King  Arthur's 
castle.  The  bidarra  sailed  up  to  the  beach, 
the  mast  was  sent  down,  and  the  contents  of  the 
boat  l)egan  to  And  tlieir  way  ashore.  Twenty- 
three  men,  women,  and  children  and  two  dogs 
were  flrst  landed.  Then  tents,  camp  equipaofe, 
and  salmon,  fresh  and  dried,  for  the  party. 
After  that  the  men  commenced  carrying  off 
shoulder  loads  of  dressed  sealskins,  neatly  put 
up,  five  in  a  bundle,  till  forty-eight  large  and 
forty-one  of  the  smaller  size  were  landed.  Five 
bundles  of  sealskin  thongs,  lashings  for  boat- 

165 


16()  A    TRIP    TO  ALASKA. 

building  —  no  nails  Ix'ing  used  —  were  carried 
off  next,  followed  by  two  sealskins  of  oil,  and 
l)undles  containing  live  hundred  marmot  skins 
for  fur  robes.  All  this  came  out  of  an  o])en 
skin  l)oat  twenty-live  feet  long  hy  eight  feet 
beam,  —  fiat  bottom,  of  course.  As  the  bidarra 
came  in,  the  natives  noticed  a  school  of  white 
whales  in  the  bay.  They  had  been  running  in 
great  numbers  all  day  without  being  disturl)ed. 
After  the  freight  had  ])een  landed,  however,  one 
of  the  men  who  came  down  from  Unalakleet 
jumped  into  a  kyack  and  paddled  out.  He 
did  not  go  a  mile  before  he  came  u})  with  his 
game,  and  as  one  of  the  largest  sized  arose  to 
blow,  the  Indian  threw  his  har[)oon,  which  took 
a  solid  hold.  At  the  moment  Avhen  the  whale 
shot  down,  the  shaft  of  the  harj)oon  slipped 
away  from  the  head,  which  was  coimected  by  a 
lino  with  an  inflated  sealskin,  acting  as  a  buoy. 
The  harpoon  was  not  to  kill,  but  to  connect  the 
fish  with  the  buoy.  As  soon  as  the  lazy  Indians 
loafing  on  shore  and  on  board  the  steamer 
saw  that  the  "  beluga,"  as  it  is  called,  was 
struck,  they  put  out,  to  the  number  of  a  dozen, 
to  assist  in  the  ca])ture  and  share  in  the  sport 
and  spoils. 

As  they  gathered  around  they  formed  a  novel 
and   an  excitinir    scene.     It   was   a  hunt  of  a 


KILLING   THE   WHITE    WHALE.  1()7 

dozen  men  in  small  sealskin  boats  after  a  mon- 
ster with  power  enough  to  wreck  them  all  with 
one  blow  if  it  could  strike  tliem  all  together. 
The  floating  sealskin  indicated  the  movements  of 
the  beluga  below,  and  the  little  fleet,  formed  in 
a  semicircle,  went  paddling  for  the  prey.  A 
beluga  cannot  remain  l)elow  very  long,  and, 
whenever  this  one  came  up  to  l)low,  a  kyack 
was  alongside,  and  an  ivory  s})ear  or  half  a 
dozen  spears  would  be  darted  in  through  the 
alabaster  skin  to  the  l)hibber.  As  the  number 
of  spears  increased,  the  beluga  became  quicker 
in  its  motions  and  more  changeful  in  course, 
but  no  matter  what  the  direction  taken,  or  when 
or  where  the  tortured  animal  arose,  the  inevita- 
l)le  kyack  was  there,  and  more  ivory  sjjears 
were  thrown.  Lashing  the  waters  and  tumbling 
about,  rolling  from  side  to  side  in  terror,  but 
yet  not  struck  in  a  vital  i)oint.  the  beluga  hur- 
ried hither  and  thither,  but  there  was  no  escape 
from  the  remorsoless  pursuers.  Hither  and 
thither,  to  tiie  riglit  and  to  the  left,  but  alwa^'s 
advancing  in  line  or  circuhir  form,  light  on  the 
surface  of  the  water  as  sea-birds,  ;ind  swift  as 
the  tish  l)eneath.  tlew  the  buoyant  kyncks,  iin- 
})elled  and  guided  by  the  single-bladed  })adclle. 
Each  navigator  of  each  bubble  of  a  boat  was 
always  ready  with  another  spear  until  the  l)e- 


168  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

luga,  as  it  rolled  up,  looked  like  a  porpoise  of 
huge  dimensions  l)ristling  with  enormous  quills. 

For  two  hours  the  chase  continued,  extend- 
ing over  a  line  of  at  least  three  miles,  the  beluga 
being  gradually  worried  and  tired  out.  Finally 
it  moved  more  slowly  and  sluggishly,  but  as 
yet  spouted  no  blood,  nor  did  it  appear  much 
weakened.  It  was  exhausted  and  half  suft'o- 
cated  for  want  of  air,  but,  if  then  released, 
might  live  for  many  years. 

Then,  as  it  came  quite  exhausted  to  the  sur- 
face, and  slowh'  turned  upon  its  side,  the  hunter 
who  had  fastened  the  harpoon  into  it  was  at 
hand  and,  taking  a  long  lance,  thrust  it  into  the 
body  just  back  of  the  right  tin  and,  churning  it 
up  and  down  two  or  three  times  \vith  lightning- 
like rapidity,  shot  away  to  avoid  troul)le.  The 
l)ehiga  was  now  mortally  hurt,  and  as  he  lashed 
the  water  into  foam  ;uk1  s})outed  blood  for  a  few 
moments  in  death  agony,  the  Indians  knew  that 
the  chase  was  over.  f  licy  fell  l)ack  and  looked 
on  with  a  quiet  air  of  satisfaction  after  their  ex- 
citing hunt,  as  if  they  had  done  nothing  out  of 
the  ordinary  course  of  events  with  them.  The 
-next  matter  was  to  tow  their  prize  ashore,  which 
was  done  l)y  buoying  it  up  between  four  kyacks. 
the  owners  of  which  paddled  with  it  to  the  In- 
dian camp.     Here  some  forms  and  ceremonies 


KILLING    THE    WHITE    WHALE.  169 

were  necessary  before  haulino-  it  out  of  the 
water  and  cutting  it  up.  It  will  not  do  to  cut 
up  a  beluga  with  an  axe,  and,  if  there  are  seals 
around,  it  would  be  flying  in  the  face  of  fortune 
to  chop  wood.  On  such  occasions  the  lire-wood 
must  be  cut  with  a  knife.  One  hunter  will  not 
permit  his  wife  to  taste  of  moose  meat  of  his 
own  killing  when  it  is  fresh,  l)ut  after  three 
days  she  may  have  some  of  it.  In  some  cases, 
for  weeks  after  a  woman  has  become  a  mother, 
she  will  not  be  permitted  to  eat  flesh  of  any 
kind,  or  her  husband  would  have  no  luck  in 
hunting. 

In  the  case  of  landing  the  beluga,  the  tedious 
ceremonies  performed  by  the  successfid  hunter 
concluded  M'ith  trinnning  a  small  strip  from 
the  edge  of  each  fin,  from  the  tail,  and  from 
the  upper  lip,  l)efore  the  game  was  hauled 
out  from  the  water.  After  he  had  performed 
his  ceremonies  he  walked  away,  leaving  those 
who  chose  to  cut  off  what  they  wanted.  During 
the  night  there  was  a  groat  feast  in  camp,  the 
kettles  J)eing  kept  boiling  till  morning,  and  as 
some  thirty  or  forty  Indians  were  working  away 
at  it,  the  beluga  was  not  much  more  than  a 
skeleton  in  twentv-four  hours. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


SUPERSTITIOXS. 


^pilESE  Indians  believe  in  the  "Shaman,"  or 
-*-  ^ledicine  ]Man.  The  Shaman  is  not  born 
to  his  ])r()fes8ion  here,  as  amono-  the  h)wer  Alask- 
ans, lie  is  the  creature  of  accident  or  of  revela- 
tion, lie  has  a  dream  sometime,  which,  bein<^ 
vcrilied,  he  goes  off  alone  into  some  remote  place, 
^vhere  he  fasts  for  several  days,  after  Avhich  he 
comes  out  and  announces  himself  a  Shaman. 
jSow  he  is  ready  to  heal  the  sick,  to  reuulate  the 
Aveather,  and  to  su})|)ly  o-ame  in  seasons  when  it 
is  scarce.  I  lis  manner  of  curino-  diseases  is  l)y 
incantations,  no  vik'  drugs  l)einu'  administered. 
The  cure,  if  eti'ccted,  is  due  to  his  miraculous 
influence  M'ith  invisil)le  spirits.  If  he  fail,  and 
the  patient  dies,  he  })ersuadcs  the  mourning 
relatives  into  the  belief  that  some  other  Shaman 
or  some  old  woman  bewitched  the  deceased, 
and  then  death  is  the  lot  of  the  oflcnding  party 
who  comes  ill  lietween  the  doctor  and  the  dead. 
Some  of  these  Shamans  believe  in  themselves, 
170 


SUPERSTITIOXS.  171 

but  as  a  rule  they  know  that  they  are  hunil)ugs. 
There  was  one  at  the  "Mission"  on  the  Yukon, 
who,  during  a  scarcity  of  deer.  })roposed  to  go 
up  to  the  moon  and  get  a  supply.  It  should  be 
known  that,  accordins;  to  Innuit  accounts,  all 
game  comes  out  of  the  moon,  the  origin  of 
which  orb  and  others  is  thus  accounted  for :  — 

In  the  beginning  there  was  plenty  of  land, 
water,  and  sky,  but  no  i)lanetary  system.  An 
Indian,  who  noticed  that  the  sky  came  down  to 
the  ground  in  a  certain  locality,  Avent  forward 
and  made  holes  in  it  with  his  paddle.  One 
stroke  formed  a  rent  through  which  the  sun 
sliines,  another  tore  away  tlie  curtain  from  l)e- 
fore  the  moon,  and  smaller  stabs  with  the  oar 
made  places  through  which  the  stars  are  now 
visible.  The  moon  being  merely  a  hole  through 
which  the  light  shines  from  a  land  where  the 
supply  of  game  is  inexhaustible,  all  a  Shaman 
has  to  do  for  his  tribe  is  to  go  up  and  throw  a 
sufficient  number  of  moose  or  doer  down  through 
the  hole.  There  is  no  doubt  in  the  minds  ol' 
some  that  he  can  do  this. 

The  Shaman  at  the  Mission  who  volunteered 
to  go  up  to  the  moon  after  game  went  on  a 
strong  pull.  lie  fastened  a  ro})e  around  his 
body,  beneath  his  arms,  and  al)out  his  nock. 
Then    he    wont    down    under   the    floor    of   the 


172  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

"  kashiina,"  or  club-house,  "where  the}"  have 
then-  dunces  and  festivities.  He  left  one  end 
of  the  line  in  the  hands  of  some  Indians  a])Ove, 
with  instructions  for  them  to  pull  as  soon  as  he 
irot  out  of  sight.  The}'  obeyed,  and  pulled 
vigorously  until  they  l)ecanie  tired.  They 
waited  and  rested  l)riotly,  l)ut,  hearing  nothing, 
the}'  pulled  for  anotlier  quarter  of  an  hour. 
They  rested  again,  and  after  that  took  another 
pull,  and  kept  this  u})  till  the  exercise  liecame 
too  monotonous  even  for  an  Eskimo.  Then 
they  went  doNvn  and  found  the  Shaman  dead. 
They  supposed  this  was  a  regular  part  of  the 
progrannne  of  going  to  the  moon,  and  perhaps 
in  this  they  were  not  far  from  being  correct. 
But  they  believed  the  Shaman  would  come  back 
after  throwing  down  enough  game  from  the 
moon,  and  they  saved  liim  for  eight  days  in  a 
sitting  posture.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  as  the 
spirit  failed  to  come  back,  they  laid  the  body 
away  to  be  called  for. 

lieindeer  were  formerly  plentiful  hereabouts; 
a  few  years  ago  they  disa])peared,  and  the  next 
winter  thcv  were  seen  in  unusual  numbers,  not 
in  the  moon,  but  down  al)out  Belkoosky,  on  the 
peninsula  of  Alaska.  They  may  come  ])ack, 
but  the  spirit  of  the  Shaman  will  probably  re- 
main in  the  moon. 


suPEHsTjrioys.  173 

In  order  to  have  influence  among  the  people, 
it  is  necessary  that  the  Shamans  should  be  pos- 
sessed of  mysterious  powers.  They  perform 
many  feats  that  would  do  credit  to  "  material- 
izing mediums."  There  was  one  who  would 
l^ermit  his  hands  to  be  bound  together  with 
leather  thongs  behind  his  back,  and  would  pull 
the  lashings  through  his  body  and  show  the 
wrists  still  fastened  in  front.  But  it  was  indis- 
pensable that  this  miracle  should  be  performed 
beneath  his  jxirka,  or  skin  robe.  Of  course, 
he  could  not  draw  his  bound  hands  through  the 
l)arka.  On  one  occasion,  the  parka  being  raised 
unexpectedly  to  the  Shaman,  it  was  found  that 
one  of  his  hands  was  already  half  out  of  the 
bindings,  and  it  appeared  that  his  wrist  was 
disproportionately  large,  so  that  he  could  re- 
lease and  again  insert  the  hand  in  the  lashings. 
Such  a  development  generally  only  proves  the 
presence  of  unfavorable  spirits. 

Another  clement  of  influence  is  for  the  Sha- 
man to  be  able  to  r('})cat  some  words,  or  jargon, 
which  the  common  Indians  cannot  comprehend. 
Tlic  words  may  have  no  meaning  or  significance, 
but  they  have  a  great  influence  among  the  unin- 
itiated. A  Shaman  who  goes  aboard  of  a  vessel 
and  picks  up  some  of  the  phrases  of  the  sailors 
(such   as  are   called   "  viirorous    Saxon"'    when 


174  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

used  by  greut  men,  but  are  put  down  and  re- 
buked as  ''  lion-id  oaths  "  in  the  mouth  of  the 
connnon  herd)  sui)plies  himself  with  a  sort  of 
annnuuition  that  can  be  used  to  great  advantage 
in  incantations  for  game,  or  to  drive  out  devils. 
Some  of  these  fakirs  eat  fire,  also,  which  is  a 
valualjlc  accomplishment  ;  and  one  Siiaman,  at 
Pastolic,  between  St.  ^Michael's  and  the  mouth 
of  the  Yukon,  permitted  himself  to  })e  burned 
alive  to  satisfy  the  people  that  he  was  not  a 
swindler.  lie  had  an  innncnse  pyre  of  logs 
arranged  near  tlie  hut  in  which  all  of  the  |)e()})le 
were  assembled,  and,  at  a  given  signal,  he  took 
a  position  in  the  ccnti-e,  and  the  torch  was  ap- 
plied, lie  stood  thei'c  cahn  as  a  tobacco  sign, 
with  a  wooden  mask  u})on  his  face,  and  gazed 
upon  the  people  as  they  retired  into  the  hut  to 
"  make  medicine  "  for  hiin. 

In  half  an  hour  they  came  out.  and  saw 
nothing  but  the  mask  in  the  centre,  all  the 
logs  around  it  being  on  lire.  The  next  time 
they  went  out  all  was  burned  down  to  cinders, 
and  they  again  returned  to  the  hut.  l^'csentlx' 
a  slight  noise  was  heard  uj)on  the  roof,  loHowed 
immediately  l)y  the  descent  of  the  Shaman,  mask 
and  all.  The  cifect  was  wonderful,  as  it  was  in- 
tended to  ])e,  but  it  cost  the  Shanuin  al)out 
twenty-live  dolhirs    worth   of  skins  to   his  two 


SUPERSTITIONS.  175 

accomplices  who  arranged  the  hole  through 
which  he  crawled  out  under  the  logs  of  the 
pyre,  and  who  worked  the  people  into  the  hut 
and  out  again  at  the  proper  time.  One  of  the 
confederates,  who  afterwards  worked  for  a  white 
man,  confessed  the  material  part  he  liad  taken  in 
the  mystery.  The  mask  seen  in  tlie  Hre  was  not 
upon  the  Shaman's  face,  but  fasten(Ml  to  a  pole. 

The  origin  of  man  and  other  annuals,  accord- 
ing to  the  account  of  the  up-country  Indians,  is 
not  without  its  m3'stery  also.  ]Man  and  all 
other  animals  were  created  bv  the  eao-le  and 
the  blue-jay,  jointly.  xVfter  num  was  nearly 
finished,  the  jay  proposed  to  give  him  Avings, 
but  to  this  the  eagle  objected,  saying  that  he 
had  already  been  made  too  powerfid,  and  to 
permit  him  to  fly  would  be  to  make  him  alto- 
gether dangerous.  Some  controversy  occurred 
on  this,  but  the  eagle  would  not  give  way,  and 
consequently  the  jay  would  have  nothing  fur- 
ther to  do  in  the  matter,  and  withdrew  from 
the  co-partnership. 

That  dispute  explains  why  the  eagle  keeps  as 
i*ar  from  man  as  ]iossil)le.  while  the  jay  goes 
into  his  camp  with  impunity,  and  takes  what- 
ever he  wants,  if  he  can  And  it.  The  jay 
knows  he  did  all  he  could  for  man,  and  as  the 
man  knows  it,  too.  tlie  l)ird  is  not  molested. 


176  A.    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

When  the  Indian  dies  he  goes  to  that  land 
which  the  wild  geese  seek  in  the  winter.  It  is 
a  long  way  off,  and  the  entrance  to  it  is  a  narrow 
pass  which  may  be  travelled  only  when  the  snow 
is  melted.  Some  Indians — the  had  ones — have 
greater  trouble  than  others  in  making  the  jour- 
ney, being  obliged  to  go  through  a  long,  dark 
passage,  probabl}^  through  the  Hoosac  tunnel. 
They  are  not  yet  determined  on  the  exact  na- 
ture of  that  portion  of  the  journey.  It  is  an 
article  of  faith  which  they  say  they  believe  in, 
but  do  not  consider  it  necessary  to  comprehend. 

Their  views  and  doubts  on  this  question  are 
almost  enough  to  lead  one  to  suspect  them  of 
having  a  religion,  but  the\'  haven't.  They  all 
believe,  however,  that,  once  in  the  promised 
land  they  will  find  clear  skies,  warm  weather, 
and  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  game.  It  is 
the  "happy  hunting  ground"'  over  again,  with 
variations  having  their  origin  in  the  climate  in 
which  the  Indian  passes  his  earthly  existence. 

Living  here  in  an  Arctic  region,  with  a  brief 
but  delightful  summer  of  three  months,  mostly 
composed  of  daylight,  the  Indian  creates  such 
a  heaven  as  he  fancies  he  would  most  enjoy. 
Summer  and  game  are  the  chief  elements  of 
heavenly  happiness.  Other  Indians  will  incor- 
porate   some    common    want,  as    a  dog   and  a 


SUPERSTITIONS.  Ill 

pony,  and  create  a  heaven  accordingly.  Start- 
ing on  common  ground,  the  Indian  idea  of  a 
future  life  has  changed  as  the  Indian  changed, 
generation  after  generation,  from  one  locality  to 
another.  These  Indians  don't  know  what  a 
horse  is.  The  plain  Indians  cannot  fancy  hap- 
piness without  horses,  and  these  ideas  influence 
their  view  of  futurity. 

The  "Great  Spirit,"  and  even  the  "  Great 
Father"  in  AVashington  are  beings  of  whom 
nothing  is  asked  among  the  Eskimos.  Give 
them  plenty  of  blul)ber  to-day,  and  they  do 
not  concern  themselves  about  to-morrow  or  the 
future.  They  like  plenty  of  grease,  and  for 
that  reason  would  rather  encounter  a  whale  than 
a  missionar}'.  They  need  boats,  and  would 
rather  capture  a  hair  seal,  the  skin  of  which  is 
an  important  article  in  their  naval  architecture, 
than  to  receive  a  trunkful  of  tracts,  'i'hey 
think  more  of  a  dog-team  than  of  a  free-school 
five  stories  high,  Avith  double-acting  seats  and 
desks.  The}'  are  a  lazy,  dirty  set,  and  when 
the  Catholic  l)ishop  was  u})  here  among  them, 
ofl'ering  to  baptize  their  children,  they  said  he 
nn'ght  if  he  would  pa\'  them  for  it.  A\'hen  peo- 
ple get  religion  in  tliat  way  it  does  n't  take  a 
very  strong  hold  on  them,  under  a  generation  or 
two. 


CHAPTER  XVni. 


DOGS    AND    DRIVERS. 


^T^HE  old  scliool])oy  notion  of  the  North 
-^  American  Indian  as  a  creature  that  could 
run  day  and  night  through  the  pathless  woods, 
from  the  Alleghany  ^Mountains  to  the  Black 
Hills,  livnig  on  panthers  and  catamounts  as  he 
raced  along,  going  for  weeks  without  sleep  or 
rest  of  any  kind,  does  not  fit  these  Innuits  or 
Eskimos.  These  fellows  seldom  walk,  they 
take  their  exercise  mainly  in  boats  during 
the  summer,  and  c()m})el  the  squaws  to  dry 
enough  salmon  and  collect  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  driftwood  to  last  during  the  winter.  When 
compelled,  however,  they  can  do  some  good 
travelling  with  dog-teams  and  sledges  in  the 
winter.  St.  Michael's  is  one  of  the  most  noted 
places  for  dog  teams. 

When   we   landed   at   St.   ^lichael's  we  were 
warmly  welcomed   by  al)out   fifty   dogs,   thirty- 
two  of   which    had    been    provided   for  by  the 
"  Jeannctte"  and  eight  more  were  expected  for 
178 


DOGS  AND  DRIVERS.  179 

the  same  expedition.  These  Mahlemute  or  Es- 
kimos dogs  are  good-natured  fellows,  always 
fflad  to  see  a  white  man,  no  matter  how  oreat  a 
stranger  he  may  be.  They  stand  around  the 
landing-place  on  the  beach  waving  their  bushy 
tails  and  lolling  out  their  tongues  on  warm  days 
in  the  most  friendly  manner  possil)le.  They 
do  not  wag  their  tails  like  frivolous  society  dogs 
in  civilization,  but  gently  and  gracefully  sway 
them  to  and  fro  like  willow  branches  waving  in 
a  summer  breeze.  Having  greeted  the  stranger 
as  a  friend,  and  by  every  look  and  action  in- 
vited him  to  make  his  home  among  them,  they 
lay  the  Avelcoming  tail  upon  the  left  hip,  and 
walk  up  the  hill  with  him  in  a  grave  and  digni- 
fied manner,  as  to  say,  "  Xow  that  you  are  one 
of  us,  no  form  nor  ceremony,  you  know.  If 
you  see  anything  you  want,  take  it."' 

To  a  person  nervous  on  the  dog  question,  to 
one  always  expecting  to  be  clutched  at  the 
throat  b}'  a  mastiff,  or  be  nipped  on  the  heel  by 
a  cur.  to  one  M'ho  believes  in  hydrophobia  in 
its  most  terrible  form,  it  cannot  ])e  other  than  a 
genuine  pleasure  to  meet  a  party  of  Eskimo 
dogs,  which  seem  to  entertain  a  sincere  friend- 
ship and  respect  for  the  Avhite  man.  Indeed. 
it  is  quite  Mattering  when  compared  with  ilieii' 
indifference  for  the  Indian.     I  sav  nothino-  about 


180  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

the  domestic  "  tiffs"  among  these  dogs,  because 
those  are  afTairs  that  never  ought  to  l)e  heard  of 
outside  the  fiunily  circle,  but  it  is  well  known 
that  their  ears,  when  in  a  normal  condition, 
always  stick  sharply  up,  while  after  being 
"  chawed  "  they  hang  down  in  a  Avay  that  gives 
the  animal  to  which  ihey  belong  a  blase,  not  to 
say  a  de])auched  appearance  — and  a  good  many 
ears  are  in  a  morbidly  despondent  condition. 

AVhen  the  sun  shines  and  the  thcrmomett-r 
gets  up  to  sixty,  as  we  had  it  at  St.  ^Michael's, 
these  dogs  lie  in  the  shade  and  pant.  AVhen 
there  is  a  sunnner  shower  ihey  stroll  about  and 
smile.  They  have  heav}'  coats  for  the  cold 
winters,  and  as  yet  their  masters  have  not  gone 
so  far  as  to  consult  their  comfort  by  shearing 
them  in  I  he  spring  like  sheep.  So  they  must 
sweat  and  j^ant  in  dog-days. 

Two  tennis  hitched  up  to  sledges  here  afforded 
us  an  exhibition  of  how  such  aflairs  are  man- 
aged, and  in  ])oth  instances,  as  soon  as  the  har- 
ness was  brought  out  and  laid  upon  the  ground, 
every  old  dog  al)out  the  place  was  wild  with 
excitement  and  eager  to  get  into  colhir  and 
traces.  We  went  up  on  the ''tundra,*' or  Avet 
prairie,  back  of  the  redoubt,  and  with  five  dogs 
hitched  tandem,  had  a  ri(l(^  upon  the  sled,  which 
was  hustled  ;dong  over  the  grassy  hummocks  at 


DOGS  AND   DRIVERS.  181 

a  good  trot,  a  man  running-  ahead  as  a  guide, 
and  another  holding  the  handles  behind,  as  with 
a  plow,  to  steady  and  keep  the  sled  from  going 
over.  These  tandem  teams  were  of  ''American 
mastifi"'  breed,  the  Eskimo  dogs  being  always, 
till  very  lately,  worked  double,  one  on  each 
side  of  a  line  from  the  sled  to  a  single  leader  in 
front.  They  have  their  advantages  and  disad- 
vantages. The  American  dogs  are  more  power- 
ful than  those  of  Eskimo  breeding,  and  working 
them  in  single  file  requires  less  trail-breaking  in 
a  deep,  light  snow.  But  they  cannot  stand 
severe  cold  equal  to  the  Eskimo  dogs,  which 
have  the  shaggy  coats,  and  have  been  acclimated 
through  generations  of  predecessors. 

The  Eskimo  dogs  are  generally  of  a  light 
brown,  frequently  mottled  with  a  darker  shade 
of  the  same  color.  A  few  show  some  white. 
They  are  about  twice  as  large,  on  an  average, 
as  the  Spitz  dog,  which  is  connnon  in  the  States. 
While  patient  and  tractable  with  man,  they  have 
their  own  troubles  and  fre(|uently  make  night 
hideous  with  their  howlings. 

There  has  been  much  romancing  and  exagge- 
ration about  the  capacities  of  Eskimo  dog  teams, 
but  from  the  best  accounts  it  is  not  prudent  to 
start  out  on  a  trip  of  any  considerable  distance 
with  more  than  two  hundred  pounds  to  a  team 


182  A    TRIP  TO   ALASKA. 

of  seven  dogs.  The  traders  generally  travel 
with  a  number  of  teams  together,  that  the  men 
nvdy  be  of  assistance  to  each  otlier.  The  cargo 
is  lashed  tinnly  into  the  sled,  so  that,  in  case 
of  a  capsize,  it  can  be  righted  again  without  re- 
packing. Under  very  favorable  circumstances, 
on  good  roads  (smooth  ice  or  well-packed,  level 
snow),  long  distances  are  made.  Xinety  miles 
in  one  day  of  fifteen  hours  have  l)een  traversed 
with  a  team  of  nine  dogs.  Such  drives  are, 
however,  of  rare  occurrence.  During  the  sum- 
mer the  dogs  receive  but  little  attention,  being 
left  to  forage  for  their  food  generally,  getting  a 
few  scraps  or  a  little  fish  soup  occasionally. 
But  in  the  winter  Xhay  are  valuable  property, 
and  are  often  swai)ped  or  sold  at  fancy  prices. 
When  a  trader  is  starting  out  alone  from  the 
base  of  supplies  with  his  team,  all  the  other 
traders  make  a  i)oint  of  being  up  and  about  at 
an  earlj'  hour  on  that  morning,  to  see  that  no 
mistakes  are  made  about  the  dogs  harnessed,  as 
an  ej'e  is  always  kept  to  the  main  chance  of 
ffainins:  a  ijood  d()i>-  by  accident. 

The  Eskimos  are  generally  a  quiet,  inoff"ensive 
people.  From  the  Kuskoquim  northward  to 
the  rum  region  the  Indians  have  a  flattering  fear 
of  the  white  man.  They,  and  all  other  Indians 
in  Alaska  havinu-  connnunications  with  traders 


DOGS  AND  DRIVERS.  183 

before  Seward's  purchase,  were  kept  in  close 
subjection  ])y  the  Russians,  who  made  them  feel 
their  power,  so  that  even  to  this  day  a  white 
man  may  go  into  a  "kashima"'  alone  and  un- 
armed, and  beat  whomsoever  he  pleases  without 
much  risk  of  meeting  with  resistance  or  retalia- 
tion ;  and  this  among  a  people  who  l)elieve  m 
avenging  the  death  of  a  relative  by  blood.  Of 
the  white  man  they  have  a  dread,  l)ecause  they 
believe  he  represents  a  power  that  could  crush 
them  out  of  existence,  and  would  be  quick  to 
do  it  if  provocation  were  given.  That  is  among 
the  more  southern  Innuits  or  Eskimos,  and 
above,  among  the  Yukon  and  Tennanai  Indians, 
where  white  men  go  to  trade.  It  is  well  for 
the  whites  that  the  Indians  so  regard  them,  or 
they  would  not  dare  to  stay  in  the  country  an 
hour. 

Among  the  coast  natives  of  Cape  Prince  of 
AVales  and  Kotzbue  Sound,  there  is  a  different 
condition  of  atlairs.  White  men  would  hardly 
be  safe  to  go  among  them  alone  as  they  do  u}) 
the  Yukon.  The  UKxle  of  traffic  up  tlie  coast 
way  is  for  the  Indians  to  come  oft'  in  their  boats 
to  the  vessels  that  frequent  tlicsc  waters,  and  do 
their  trading  on  board.  Even  this  is  now  con- 
sidered somewhat  dangerous  for  vessels  with  a 
small  equipment. 


184  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

It  was  Jit  Cape  Prince  of  Wales  that  the  In- 
dian massacre  occurred  in  1877,  and  as  there 
have  been  fights  and  feuds  at  other  points  to 
the  northward,  in  consequence  of  the  presence 
of  rutn  among  them,  it  is  not  a  good  place  for 
a  white  man  to  go  alone.  How  long  the  more 
southern  Eskimos  will  maintain  their  present 
submissive  character  cannot  be  foretold,  but  the 
presence  of  an  armed  ship  in  these  waters  every 
year  w^ould  go  a  long  way  toward  keeping  these 
peaceable,  and  toward  preventing  the  further 
demoralization  of  those  to  the  northward,  by 
suppressing  the  rum  traffic. 

These  coast  Indians  about  Norton  Sound  have 
a  fashion  of  clipping  their  hair  from  the  up])er 
part  of  the  head,  leaving  the  lower  portion  to 
irrow  lono-er.  This  is  then  cut  around  in  a 
circular  fashion  so  as  to  have  it  "banged"  on 
the  forehead,  after  the  style  of  the  young  ladies 
of  the  United  States  and  other  highly  civilized 
places.  From  the  forehead  the  lower  line  is 
graduated  around  in  a  slope  to  the  back  of  the 
neck.  Now,  when  some  of  the  Tennanai  In- 
dians come  down  the  Yukon  and  see  this  style, 
they  adopt  it  as  the  "latest  agony,"  and  go 
home  with  a  swaggering  air  as  if  just  returned 
from  London  and  Paris  to  Oshkosh. 

Some  of  these  Indians  have  their  noses  pierced. 


DOGS  AND  DRIVERS.  185 

and  a  great  many  have  two  holes,  one  on  each 
side  of  the  lower  lip,  just  below  the  corners  of 
the  mouth.  h\  southern  Alaska  and  in  British 
Columbia,  squaws  have  one  such  aperture,  in 
which  they  wear  an  ivory  ornament,  sometimes 
an  inch  in  width  and  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in 
thickness,  but  here  the  men  have  two  of  these 
wounds.  It  is  not  an  uncommon  thing  here  to 
see  a  young  girl  going  along  with  a  short  string 
of  beads  pendant  from  her  nose,  the  sight  of 
which  may  l)e  very  fascinating  among  the  young 
men  of  her  tribe,  but  to  one  not  accustomed  to 
such  ornamentation  the  effect  at  a  distance  of 
ten  or  fifteen  paces  is  not  particularly  pleasing. 
A  closer  view,  when  one  comes  to  see  exactly 
what  it  is,  is  not  quite  so  sliocking ;  and,  pos- 
sibly, if  one  were  onh'  used  to  it,  the  fashion 
would  be  quite  as  toleral)le  as  rings  in  the  ears, 
bano-in"-  the  hair,  and  chewini>-  o;um. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

PRODUCTS    OF    THE    YUKON    REGION. 

rFlHERE  are  no  fur  seal  nor  sea-otter  skins  in 
-*-  the  trade  aniona"  tlie  Eskimos,  ])ut  there  is 
a  character  to  the  furs  whicli  tells  of  the  country 
where  they  originate.  AVhite  foxes,  the  Arctic 
hare  —  all  Avhite,  white  wolves,  white  bear,  and 
white  deer  skins,  are  common  articles  of  trade. 
In  addition  to  these  are  the  land  otter,  marten, 
American  sable,  mink,  beaver,  red  fox,  marmot 
or  ground  s(|uirrel,  and  muskrat,  as  the  princi- 
pal skins.  The  difference  between  martin  anc 
American  sable  is  one  rather  of  degree  than  of 
kind.  The  Siberian  sable,  the  most  valuable  of 
land  furs  (except  silver-gray  and  black  foxes), 
is  darker  than  the  American  salde  when  it  is 
found  in  the  woods  wliere  there  is  a  perlect 
shade.  The  scarcity  of  trees  makes  the  fur 
lighter  in  color,  until,  in  the  marten,  it  becomes 
a  brown  and,  rarely,  yellow.  In  the  animal 
itself  there  api)ears  to  l)e  no  marked  difl'ercnce 
l)etwccn  the  sable  and  tin;  marten.  The  marten 
ISO 


PRODUCTS  OF  THE   YUKON  REGIOX.       187 

is  quick  and  bold  enough  to  kill  the  porcupine  ; 
and  yet  it  can  be  easily  tamed  so  that  it  will 
spring  up  in  a  sociable  way  and  snatch  the  meat 
from  its  master's  plate.  It  is  quicker  than  a  cat, 
and  is  sure  death  on  rats  and  mice.  Whether  it 
is  called  marten  or  American  sable  the  animal 
is  the  same.  The  quality  of  the  marten  and 
sable,  as  well  as  the  color,  is  atfected  by  local 
circumstances.  AVhen  the  snow  is  soft  and 
light  all  the  Avinter,  the  fur  gets  a  l)right  polish 
and  remains  smooth  and  even  on  the  surface. 
AVhen  the  snow  becomes  hard  and  sharp,  by 
packing  and  by  thawing  and  freezing,  it  cuts 
the  long  tine  hairs  of  the  skins,  jjroducing  un- 
even and  harsh  edges.  This  circumstance 
makes  an  important  ditference  in  the  value  of 
the  skin. 

AA\)lverines  were  formerl}'  so  nuich  in  demand 
among  the  coast  Indians  up  this  way,  that  the 
trading  companies  purchased  them  in  Cook's 
Inlet  and  Bristol  P)ay  for  importation  here. 
M'hcre  they  were  used  by  the  natives  in  trim- 
ming parkies.  The  wolverine  is  not  only  scarce 
among  them,  but  it  is  a  "medicine"  animal,  the 
Indian  killing  one  setting  every  sort  of  food 
available  and  lighted  candles,  or  oil-lamps, 
around  the  carcase  for  two  days  before  skinning 
it.     That    is    the  custom    amonii'  the    interior 


188  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

Indians  who  kill  thera.  Upon  the  coast,  how- 
ever, the  wolverine  is  not  found,  and  conse- 
quently the  skins  are  in  great  demand.  They 
are  not  so  largely  imported  from  below  as 
formerly,  being  now  brought  down  by  traders 
from  the  u})per  Yukon.  The  parka,  or  fur 
robes,  on  the  American  side  of  the  Straits, 
are  made  of  the  marmot  or  ground  squirrel, 
trimmed  with  wolverine  around  the  lower  edge 
of  the  skirt,  the  hood  having  a  border  of  white 
wolf,  which  gives  the  face  of  the  wearer  a 
weird  and  fantastic  appearance.  The  men's 
parkas  are  generally  plain,  except  the  wolver- 
ine border  on  the  skirt  and  wolf  on  the  hood ; 
but  some  of  the  v.omen's  robes  are  very  orna- 
mental. They  are  cut  circular  at  the  bottom  of 
the  skirt,  before  and  behind,  leaving  a  space 
about  twelve  inches  from  top  to  bottom  on  each 
side.  The  lower  portions  of  the  skirt  of  the 
woman's  parka  are  generally  ornamented  with 
white  deerskin,  land  otter  and  fanc\'  work  with 
thread  and  dyed  feathers. 

The  finest  parkies,  however,  are  of  fawn 
skin,  and  come  from  Sil)eria.  They  are  richly 
embroidered  on  the  flesh  side  with  silk,  in 
(colors,  and  are  very  expensive,  some  rating 
as  high  as  one  hundred  and  twentj-five  dol- 
lars.    The  connnon  jiarka,  such  as  is  used  by 


PRODUCTS  OF  THE    YUKON  REGION.         189 

the  ordinary  Eskimos,  and  such  as  were  pro- 
vided for  the  men  of  the  "  Jeannette,"  are 
cheap,  being  made  of  squirrel  skins,  without 
ornamentation.  They  are  warm,  and  warmth 
is  what  is  required  in  the  Arctic  region.  The 
hooded  parka  and  the  fancy  deerskin  boots, 
which  complete  the  attire  so  far  as  visible, 
make  a  picturesque  dress,  admirably  suited 
to  the  climate  and  the  people.  It  is  stated 
that  the  women  wear  leathern  pantaloons  be- 
neath this  beautiful  outer  covering. 

For  people,  their  habits  and  customs,  imple- 
ments and  dress ;  for  scenery  and  climate  at 
this  season  of  the  year :  for  salmon  and  wild- 
goose  eggs,  and  an  appetite  that  is  backed  hj 
digestive  organs  extraordinary,  — this  is  one  of 
the  most  interesting  places  to  which  civilized 
people,  sweltering  in  the  great  cities  of  the 
Eastern  States,  could  make  summer  excursions, 
albeit  somewhat  out  of  the  route  of  palace  cars. 
But  for  a  permanent  residence  it  cannot  be  com- 
mended. 

Tiiere  are  some  half-dozen  whites  here,  and 
they  appear  to  enjoy  life,  but  their  minds  are 
generally  occupied  by  questions  of  trade,  either 
in  having  it  or  preparing  for  it  ;  and,  moreover, 
they  all  look  forward  to  a  time  of  leaving  the 
countrv  and  returninir  to  the  haunts  of  civiliza- 


190  A    TRIP    TO   ALASKA. 

tion.  Besides,  thej  are  not  completely  exiled, 
as  they  go  down  to  San  Francisco  on  a  furlough 
once  in  every  two  or  three  years.  The  thought 
of  these  journeys  buoys  them  up  before  they 
go  and  sustains  them  after  they  return.  So 
they  get  through  life  and  manage  to  keep  them- 
selves in  flesh. 

St.  Michael's  is  a  good  place  for  the  curiosity 
hunter  to  visit.  The  Indians  up  this  way,  with 
feathers  through  their  noses,  their  fanciful  fur 
clothing,  their  skin-l)oats,  their  dogs  and  sledges, 
their  ivory-headed  s[)ears  and  arrows,  their 
stone-lamps  for  ])urning  blubber,  and  a  luni- 
dred  other  queer  commodities,  furnish  a  fertile 
field  for  the  collection  of  ctirios.  ^Nlammotli 
tusks  are  more  plentiful  al)out  here  than  forest 
trees,  and  they  may  be  had  cheap  as  firewood. 
Even  stone  axes  are  to  be  obtained  occasionally, 
though  they  may  be  numl^ercd  with  the  friction 
fire-producers  —  among  implements  now  ol)so- 
Icte.  Everything  of  this  kind,  or  samples  of  all 
such  articles,  arc  in  constant  demand  at  that 
great  repository  of  wonders,  the  Smithsonian 
Institute,  which  has  emissaries  in  all  i)arts  of 
the  country  gathering  cast-off  clothing  and 
worn-out    implements    among  savages. 

Of  all  the  curios  from  this  country  the  most 
inexplica])le  was  found  near  Fort  Yukon  several 


PRODUCTS  OF  THE   YUKON  REGION.        191 

years  ago.  At  that  time  a  Canadian  who  Avas 
then  in  the  employ  of  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company,  discovered  a  skull  a1)out  half  a  mile 
from  the  fort,  which  he  could  not  "  identify." 
It  was  apparently  from  some  animal  of  the  bo- 
vine kind,  but  Avhat  particular  species  w^as  a 
mystery.  Having  spent  some  years  on  the 
Upper  Missouri  and  on  the  Rod  River  of  the 
Xorth,  he  was  familiar  with  the  buffalo,  and  felt 
satisfied  it  could  not  be  a  buffalo  skull ;  beside 
buffalos  are  not  found  so  far  north  as  Fort 
Yukon,  Avhicli  is  within  the  Arctic  Circle. 

After  puzzling  his  head  over  the  mystery  for 
months,  he  sent  the  skull  down  to  the  Com- 
pan\''s  office  in  San  Francisco,  with  an  account 
of  where  it  was  found.  There  all  efforts  to 
identify  it  failed,  and  it  was  forwarded  to  the 
Smithsonian,  accompanied  l)y  a  written  explana- 
tion of  its  discovery.  The  scientists  of  the 
Smithsonian,  spent  long  da}s  and  nights  over  it, 
and  though  they  may  not  admit  the  fact,  were 
at  a  loss  to  make  a  very  succinct  explanation 
of  the  character  of  the  animal  to  which  it  be- 
longed. It  was  finally  pronounced  the  head  of 
an  extinct  species  of  elk,  and  experts  at  once 
set  to  Avork  making  drawings  and  plaster 
models    of  the    extinct    animal. 

About  three  years  ago  the  lucky  finder  of  the 


192  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

skull  learned  that  when  Fort  Yukon  was  sup- 
posed to  be  within  British  America  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company  imported  a  bull  and  a  cow  to 
that  place.  The  bull  died  and  the  cow  was 
killed  for  beef,  havino-  been  latterly  in  a  condi- 
tion  of  constant  mourning  for  her  departed 
lord  and  there  is  no  longer  any  room  for  doubt 
that  the  skull  which  puzzled  the  Smithsonian 
scientists  was  a  cow's  skull  and  nothing  less.  It 
is  possible  that,  as  soon  as  the  report  of  this  dis- 
covery l)ecomes  pul)lic,  the  cow's  skull  may  be 
ground  up  and  used  as  a  fertilizer  on  the  beau- 
tiful Smitlisonian  grounds,  the  plaster  casts  re- 
duced to  powder,  and  the  records  of  the  learned 
debates  on  the  subject  will  be  immediately  de- 
stroyed. The  professors  may  then  deny  the 
facts. 

Down  about  Sitka  one  hear  some  very  possi- 
tive  talk  al)out  "mines,"  and  this  breaks  out, 
even  up  here,  occasionally,  but  in  a  subdued 
way.  There  may  be  gold  u})  the  Yukon, 
as  sonte  peo[)le  affect  to  believe,  but,  if  so,  the 
dio'irings  .■should  be  wonderfully  rich  to  be  profi- 
table. Tn  a  country  where  the  winters  are  of 
eight  months'  duration,  and  Avhere  the  ther- 
mometer indicates  sixty  to  seventy  degrees 
below  zero  for  a  month  at  a  time,  with  forty 
to    fifty  degrees  for  longer   periods,  the  Avork 


PRODUCTS  OF  THE   YUEOX  REGION.        193 

done  in  the  summer  months  ought  to  be  well 
paid  for.  At  all  events,  although  there  have 
been  rumors  of  diggings,  ther^  has  been  no 
reliable  information  of  mines  in  this  extreme 
northern  part  of  our  possessions. 

So  far  as  at  present  known  this  region  is  fit 
for  nothing  l)ut  the  fur  trade,  and  tliat  will  prol)- 
ably  never  furnish  profitable  returns  for  many,  if 
any,  more  than  those  now  engaged  in  it.  The 
resources  of  an  agricultural  country  may  be 
developed,  and  the  products  increased,  by  rail- 
roads and  steamboats,  by  innnigration,  and  by 
improved  machinery.  The  fur  trade  is  such 
that,  the  more  it  is  encouraged  when  open  to 
competition,  the  sooner  it  declines  and  becomes 
exhausted.  This  is  one  ])ranch  of  trade  which 
M'ill  not  endure  stinudating,  and  if  there  is 
anything  of  value  in  the  Yukon  region,  outside 
of  the  fur  trade,  it  does  not  now  make  any 
demonstration. 

The  Yukon  is  *i  wonderful  river,  capable  of 
carrying  a  tonnage  c(jual  to  the  Mississippi,  but 
there  is  nothing  at  present  tributary  to  it  that 
is  capable  of  creating  a  connnerce.  Two  stern- 
wheel  steamers  api)ear  to  be  capable  of  satisfy- 
ing the  wants  of  c(jnnnerce  upon  the  Yukon  at 
present  and  for  a  long  time  to  come.  There 
are  said  to  be  immense  vallcvs  or  bottom  lands 


194  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

of  great  richness  of  soil  along  the  Yukon  and 
on  some  of  its  tributaries,  and  upon  the  Kusko- 
quim,  south  of  the  Yukon ;  but  the  richest  soil 
is  valueless  if  the  climate  be  such  that  nothing 
for  the  benefit  of  man  will  grow  and  ripen  in  it. 
There  is  no  timber  along  this  northern  coast, 
although  spruce  is  almndant  in  the  interior,  but 
the  value  of  this  cannot  be  ap})reeiated.  Possi- 
bly cattle  might  be  raised  here  if  grass  would 
ripen  and  hay  could  l)e  i)rocured  for  winter 
foddering,  but  when  live-stock  may  be  raised 
without  this  troul)]e  and  unavoidable  expense 
of  this  country  several  thousand  miles  nearer  to 
market,  the  advantages  of  Alaska  as  a  pastoral 
region  can  hardly  be  made  apparent  during  the 
})resent  century.  Alaska  is  really  of  little  value 
to  our  government  beyond  what  is  derived  from 
the  seal  i.slands,  rent,  and  tax,  and  the  vague 
benefits  from  the  fur  trade  in  general.  Ikit  the 
coast  might  be  surveyed  in  the  interests  of  nav- 
igation, though  it  might  take  years  to  make  a 
relialjle  chart  of  that  portion  from  Bristol  VyAV 
to  Norton  Sound.  There  might  be  no  profit  in 
it,  l)ut  a  great  nation  ought  to  know  something 
about  its  own  possessions,  and  particularly 
about  its  coasts  and  border  lines  ;  and  the  navy 
or  some  other  department  could  find  employ- 
ment u})  here  in  many  i)laces.     Trotit,  however, 


PRODUCTS  OF  THE   YUKOX  EEGIOy.        195 

in  the  way  of  dollars  and  cents,  to  be  returned 
at  any  near  day,  should  not  be  looked  for.  If 
the  sound inu's  are  ever  made,  it  should  only  be 
as  a  matter  of  national  pride,  and  that  ought  to 
be  understood.  They  could  hardly  be  of  any 
value  to  the  people  of  Alaska,  nor  could  they 
do  much  toward  developing  a  country  which  is 
almost  entirely  without  such  natural  resources 
as  can  be  turned  to  any  good  account.  While 
upon  this  subject  I  "wish  to  make  a  few 
meteorological  observations  drawn  from  offi- 
cial and  unofficial  records.  1  am  aware  that 
there  are  people  interested  in  Alaska  who  main- 
tain that  this  Territory  is  snited  for  agricul- 
tural purposes  ])ecause  they  honestly  believe  in 
the  country,  and  because  a  few  potatoes  and 
hardier  roots  have  been  grown  here,  but  in 
exceedingly  limited  quantities.  A  record  of 
the  weather  up  the  Yukon  was  made  at  Fort 
Reliance,  about  latitude  G5°,  longitude  142° 
west.  Fort  Eeliance,  at  which  })oint  it  was 
taken  from  a  spirit  thermometer  by  the  trader 
'■Jack"  ^IcQuestin,  winter  of  1878-9,  is  four 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  ])v  tlie  course  of  the 
river  above  Fort  Yukon,  but  not  so  far  to  the 
northward,  the  latter  being  just  within  the  Arc- 
tic Circle,  and  the  most  northerly  regular  trad- 
ing-post in  any  part  of  the  United  States  or  its 


196  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

Territories.  As  the  climate  in  the  interior  is 
pronounced  highly  satisfactory  hy  Alaskan  en- 
thusiasts, and  as  several  persons  declare  the 
possibilities  of  its  agricultural  products  to  l3e 
exceedingly  great,  these  tigures  may  be  of 
interest  to  those  seeking'  information  concerning 
the  country. 

The  highest  temiieraturc  of  the  year  1878  at 
Fort  Reliance  was  IT  above  zero,  on  May  14 
and  September  13,  dates  which  might  be  called 
the  beginning  and  end  of  summer.  The  lowest 
temperature  of  the  winter  was  00°  below  on  the 
21st  of  February,  1879.  On  Februarj^  20,  four 
observations,  made  at  9  a.m.,  12m.,  6  p.m., 
and  9  r.M.,  aggregated  200,  an  average  of  50° 
below  zero  for  the  entire  da}'.  The  mean  for 
the  lowest  month  in  that  winter,  February, 
Avas  25.^°  Ik'Iow  ;  the  highest  mean  for  any 
month  Avas  in  ]May,  GO^  above. 

On  the  Gth  of  February  the  thermometer  indi- 
cated a  rise  of  temperature,  during  a  southwest 
wind,  from  '>><'  l)elow  at  7  a.m.  to  zero  at  noon, 
to  14°  above  at  o  v.m..  then  down  again  to  18° 
below  at  h  p.m.,  and  2S°  below  at  10  p.m. 
This  was  a  variation  of  56°  in  one  day.  At 
Fort  Reliance,  in  the  winter  of  1855-6,  as  is 
alleged  by  one  of  the  ti'aders,  a  two-pound  bot- 
Ik^  of  quicksilver  in  a  cabin  remained  frozen  for 


PRODUCTS   OF   THE    YUKON  REGION.  197 

two  weeks.  At  St.  Michael's,  Xorton  vSound, 
in  1878,  the  highest  thermometer  was  in  July, 
73°  above,  and  the  lowest  in  February,  25° 
l)elow.  The  winter  mean  for  November,  De- 
cember, February,  and  ]March,  was  60°  below. 
The  summer  mean  for  June,  July,  and  August 
was  50°  above.  The  yearly  mean  was  29° 
above. 

The  rainfall  last  year,  including  melted  snow, 
was  but  10.8  inches.  The  highest  velocity  of 
the  wind  per  hour  was  in  August,  74  miles, 
and  the  total  wind  in  that  month  was  11,279 
miles.  The  highest  temperature  at  St.  Michael's 
in  five  years  was  75°  above ;  lowest,  bh°  below. 

It  may  possibly  be  olijected  that  the  Yukon 
weather  reports  quoted  above  are  from  an  ex- 
treme northerly  district,  which  is  true ;  but  it 
is  asserted  Ijy  Alaskan  advocates  that  though 
the  coast  line  from  Cape  Fox — the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  the  Territory  —  to  Sitka  is  too  foggy, 
rainy,  and  swampy,  the  inland  soil  and  climate 
are  superior.  It  is  not  probable,  however,  that 
the  country  immediately  back  of  Sitka  is  much 
more  favorable  than  further  to  the  northward, 
being  of  great  altitude  and  remo\ed  from  the 
influence  of  sea  currents,  though  undoubtedly 
there  are  some  differences,  perhaps  not  always 
in  favor  of  the  Sitka  latitude. 


198 


A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


As  a  set-off  for  the  Yukon  and  St.  Michael's 
record  1  copy  from  the  log  of  the  "Rush"  the 
weather  record  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  during 
the  month  of  June,  1879.  This  record  was 
written  down  every  four  hours,  or  six  times  a 
day,  from  Ukolonoy,  just  south  of  the  peninsula 
of  Alaska,  to  Onalaska  and  Attou,  within  a  belt 
between  52°  and  55°  10'  north  latitude,  reaching 
briefly  as  high  as  57° — the  fur  seal  islands. 
This  includes  the  entire  scope  of  the  Aleutian 
Archipelago,  which  has  been  recommended  by 
some  persons  who  never  saw  Alaska  as  desira- 
ble for  the  location  of  penal  colonies  —  where 
men  might  agriculturally  earn  their  own  livings 
and  get  themselves  new  family  relations.  Here 
is  the  June  weather  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  — 
about  same  latitude  as  Sitka. 


Date. 

Thermometer. 

Weather. 

une    1   .   . 

mean  39     .    . 

Foggy. 

"       2    .    . 

"     40     .    . 

Fog,  squalls,  and  rain. 

"      3   .   . 

"     39i  .   . 

" 

"      4   .   . 

"     40     .   . 

" 

"       5    .    . 

"     39     .   . 

Hail  and  snow  squalls. 

"       6    .    . 

"     40     .   . 

Cloudy  and  rain  squalls 

"      7   .   . 

"     411   .    . 

Squally  and  rainy. 

"      8   .    . 

"     44     .    . 

Cloudy      " 

"       9    .    . 

"41      .   . 

Fog           "       " 

"    10   .   . 

"     40     .   . 

Squally    "        " 

"    11   .   . 

"     41     .   . 

Breezy     " 

"    12   .   . 

"     38     .   . 

Squalls,  sleet,  and  rain 

PRODUCTS  OF  THE   YUKON  REGION. 


199 


Date. 

Therraometer. 

Weather. 

June  13   .    .    .   mean  36     .   . 

.    Squalls,  sleet,  and  rain 

*'     14   . 

'     39f   . 

.    Light  breeze,  clear. 

"     15   . 

'     37      . 

.    Frequent  snow  squalls. 

'•     16   . 

'     38     . 

.    Calm,  but  overcast. 

"     17    . 

•     39     . 

.    Light  airs,  overcast. 

"    18   . 

'     38     .   . 

.    Misty,  overcast. 

"     19   . 

'     43     . 

•    l^oggy,  squally,  thick. 

'•    20   . 

'     40i   . 

.    Heavy  squalls,  thick. 

"     21    . 

'     39f   . 

.   Thick,  rainy,  squalls. 

"     22   . 

'     39     . 

and  rainy. 

"     23   . 

'     42     . 

" 

"     24   . 

'     40i   . 

.   Changeable,  with  rain. 

"     25   . 

•     42     . 

.    Partly  clear. 

'•     26   . 

•     394    • 

.   Overcast. 

"     27    . 

•     38f   . 

.    Partly  clear. 

'•     28   . 

•     40|   . 

.    Overcast. 

'•     29    . 

'     39     . 

.   Foggy  and  misty. 

"     30   . 

'     46i   . 

.   Partly  clear. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

THE    SUMMER    CROP    OF    SEALS. 

/^N  tho  afternoon  of  July  23,  the  "Rush" 
^-^  steamed  out  from  St.  Michael's  and  again 
headed  for  the  fur-seal  island  of  St,  Paul. 
Morton  Sound  was  as  smooth  as  a  mill-pond, 
and  Behrinpf  Sea  showed  onh^  a  slight  ripple, 
called  u})  by  a  soft,  western  breeze. 

The  water  along  the  coast  from  Norton 
Sound  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kuskoquim 
is  so  shoal  that  it  is  dangerous  for  a  ship  to 
attempt  the  passage,  in  })laces,  within  ten  miles 
of  land.  Going  southward  till  the  island  of 
Xunivak  was  abeam,  the  '"Rush"'  was  stopped 
once  every  hour  for  soundings,  a  result  of 
which  was  that,  out  of  sight  of  the  land,  the 
\vater  was  found  only  deep  enough  for  a  good 
anchorage.  The  mouths  of  the  Yukon  have 
been  depositing  sand  along  the  eastern  shore 
of  this  portion  of  Behring  Sea  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  it  is  now  regarded  by  all  navigators  in 
these  waters  as  particularly  dangerous.  An- 
200 


THE  SUMMER   CROP   OF  SEALS.  201 

other  element  of  clanger  is  found  in  the  fact 
that  the  coast  line,  as  ap[)ears  from  frequent 
and  reliable  observations  by  such  navigators 
as  are  compelled  to  come  this  way,  is  set 
about  ten  miles  too  far  to  the  eastward,  on 
all  the  charts.  The  entire  coast  from  Nuni- 
vak,  at  least,  to  Xorton  Sound,  ought  to  be 
surveyed,  and  soundings  taken,  so  as  to  afibrd 
reliable  information,  where  at  present  too  nuich 
is  left  to  conjecture. 

We  experienced  the  l)rightest  and  most  de- 
lightful weather  from  St.  Michael's  till  the 
morning  of  the  26th,  when  a  thick  fog  shut 
down,  so  that  no  observation  of  our  position 
could  l)e  had.  We  were  headed  for  St.  Paul's, 
and  l)v  noon  had  run  our  distance  out :  but  the 
weather  was  so  thick  it  was  impossible  to  know 
whether  we  were  to  the  eastward  or  the  west- 
ward of  the  land  we  wanted  to  make.  In  these 
waters,  currents  are  continually  setting  vessels 
out  of  their  courses,  which  is  not  so  serious  a 
matter  when  ol)servations  can  l)e  taken  daily 
and  corrections  made  by  the  wa}' :  but  when  a 
vessel  is  run  for  days  l)y  compass  and  dead 
reckoning  only,  the  currents  sometimes  play 
sad  havoc  with  the  calculations,  and  a  ship 
may  be  tifty  or  sixty  miles  out  of  position 
without  anvliodv  beins:  blameable. 


202  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

The  fog  around  the  Seal  Islands  is  peculiar 
in  some  respects.  The  sun  may  be  shining 
overhead  all  day,  so  that  the  weather  appears 
to  l)e  always  at  the  clearing-up  point,  but  the 
clearing  does  not  take  place.  The  fog  hangs 
low  and  thick  all  around,  so  as  to  cut  olF  the 
line  of  vision  not  more  than  a  ship-length  away, 
even  whike  the  sun  is  smiling  upon  the  anxious 
navigator.  The  fog  is  of  such  a  thick,  creamy 
consistency,  that  it  vv^raps  itself  around  the  rig- 
ging, finally  stretching  down  and  dropping  olF 
like  molasses.  The  man  on  the  forecastle,  offi- 
cers in  charge  of  the  deck,  and  the  captain,  try 
to  look  through  it  until  their  eyes  are  as  red  as 
if  they  had  been  half  roasted.  Having  run  the 
distance,  according  to  dead  reckoning,  about 
noon  on  the  2Gth,  the  "Rush  "  was  slowed  down 
to  the  consumption  of  one  l)ucket  of  coal  per 
hour,  and  we  began  cautiously  feeling  for  the 
island.  The  course  is  altered  to  the  eastward, 
and  soundings  are  taken  every  half-hour.  They 
commence  at  19  fathoms  and  gradually  run  up 
to  20,  22,  25,  30  and  35.  The  charts  do  not 
give  any  soundings  about  St.  Paul's,  and  if  we 
had  ])een  near  the  land  we  must  now  be  getting 
away  from  it. 

The  soundings  being  unsatisfactory,  the  course 
is  chansfcd,  and  we  go  slowly  feeling  our   w^ay 


THE  SUMMER  CROP  OF  SEALS.  208 

on  a  northern  tack.  The  captain  requests  those 
on  tlie  "  house  "  with  him  to  keep  their  weather- 
nostril  open  for  a  snifl'  of  the  seal  which  at  this 
season  is  very  pronounced,  hut  neither  snieHinir 
nor  seeing  is  able  to  reveal  the  land.  The  vessel 
is  laid  on  a  course  of  north-northeast,  and  look- 
ing and  sniffing  continues,  l)ut  without  results. 
In  this  manner  the  afternoon  passes,  and  after 
su})pcr  Ave  find  ourselves  still  hunting  for  the 
land,  which  we  know  is  somewhere  stuck  awa}' 
in  that  thick  fog. 

It  begins  to  look  as  if  we  were  doomed  to 
make  a  night  of  it,  when  the  captain  and  pilot, 
who  have  been  leaning  upon  the  pilot-house, 
crawl  up  in  a  nervous  sort  of  way,  trying  to 
make  something  out  of  a  slightly  denser  line 
than  the  great  bulk  of  the  fog.  The  irregular 
outline,  as  of  hills  here  and  there,  give  it  an 
api)earance  of  land,  and  as  the  helm  is  put 
a-port  and  the  "  Rush  "  comes  around  to  get  the 
wind  abeam,  it  is  pronounced  land,  sure  enough, 
and  an  odor  as  of  old  rain-water  in  a  cistern 
comes  aboard,  succeeded  l)y  a  stronger  smell, 
and,  as  the  land  is  neared,  the  outlines  and 
smell  become  more  distinct,  the  l)cllowing  of 
bull  seals  is  heard,  the  blaating  of  the  cows 
mingles  with  the  roar:  Ihe  "  ow,  ow  I  "  of  the 
pups  can  1)0  distinguished,  and,  with  Uu;  sounds 


204  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

of  a  mammoth  cattle-show,  with  the  odors  of  a 
poultry  exhibition,  magnitied  to  the  6,385th  de- 
gree, you  have  a  fur-seal  rookery  on  your  weather 
beam  late  in  July.  The  noise  ceases  not  b}^  day 
nor  by  night,  and  the  smell  is  something  never 
to  be  forgotten.  There  may  be  other  odors  like 
it,  but  there  is  nothing  and  no  place  that  has  so 
much  of  it,  for,  in  addition  to  the  millions  of 
seals  living  upon  one  island  at  this  time,  there 
are  the  carcasses  of  75,000  killed,  which,  divested 
of  their  skins,  for  fashion,  now  lie  decomposing 
upon  the  ground.  There  would  be  80,000  car- 
casses, but  some  of  them  have  been  eaten  by 
the  natives. 

When  we  sailed  from  St.  Paul's  on  the  14th  of 
June,  10,557  seals  had  been  killed  for  the  years 
take.  On  the  KJth  of  July  the  killing  of  the 
80,000  was  completed,  and  on  the  same  day 
the  last  of  St.  George's  quota  of  20,000  were 
laid  low.  This  was  the  quickest  work  and 
earliest  close  for  a  full  allowance  ever  known  to 
this  seal-killing  since  the  i)resent  lessees  have 
been  in  possession.  It  was  extremely  fortu- 
nate for  the  company  tliat  tlic  work  was  done 
so  rapidly,  for  there  has  l)een  a  hot,  dry  spell 
since,  Avhich  drove  even  the  old  bulls  into  tlie 
water,  and  which  would  pre\ent  driving  at  this 
time. 


THE  SUMMER  CROP   OF  SEALS.  205 

On  our  arrival  here  Dr.  White,  surgeon  of 
the  "Rush,"  being  desirous  of  studying  seal 
anatomy,  made  a  temporary  exchange  of  posi- 
tion with  Dr.  Kelly,  the  physician  on  the 
island,  by  which  the  latter  took  charge  of  the 
steamers  sick  roll,  not  an  alarming  one,  while 
the  former  physicked  the  islanders  and  dis- 
sected seals  for  a  few  weeks.  As  Captain 
Bailey  was  anxious  to  get  dow^n  to  Onalaska 
for  coal  and  water,  this  writer  also  parted  com- 
pany with  the  "  Rush,"  remaining  to  see  more 
of  the  seals,  and  to  go  down  on  the  steamer 
''St.  Paul."  We  enjoyed  a  great  deal  of  fur- 
seal  society,  varied  by  vain  efforts  to  get  at  the 
sea-bird's  nests  on  the  cliffs,  and  yelped  at  by 
impudent  foxes. 

It  is  a  humiliating  thinof  to  have  a  fox  stand 
off  about  ten  rods  and  bark  at  you,  or  follow 
you  around,  smelling  at  your  heels  ;  but  they 
will  do  it  here.  Foxes  here  are  plentiful 
and  fat  and  saucy  at  this  time  of  year.  They 
can  always  get  plenty  of  seal  meat  during  the 
summer  and  autunni.  In  the  si)ring  they  eat 
eggs  and  sea-fowl,  but  in  the  winter  they  fall 
into  traps  and  lose  their  valuable  skins.  Going 
out  along  the  blutfs  here,  fox-trails  may  be  seen 
leading  in  the  direction  of  the  places  where  the 
sea-birds  deposit  their  eggs,  but  the  birds  seem 


20n  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

to  know  just  how  far  a  fox  or  a  man  can  go 
along-,  or  up,  or  down  the  face  of  the  cliffs,  for 
they  take  up  positions  in  most  unaccessible 
places,  from  which  they  gaze  at  the  would-be 
intruder  with  that  calm  demeanor  only  acquired 
by  confidence  in  moral  rectitude  or  physical 
security'. 

These  sea-birds  lay  on  a  shelf  of  rock  so 
narrow  that  they  cannot  sit,  but  must  stand, 
while  setting,  with  neck  stretched  up  the  face 
of  the  wall  in  front  of  them,  and  there  they 
remain  for  weeks,  counting  the  possible  chicks 
from  one  green  and  white  mottled  egg.  They 
guard  it  as  carefully  as  though  it  contained  a 
future  president  of  the  United  States.  From 
the  top  of  the  bluff  the  sea-birds  may  be  robbed 
by  a  reckless  man  let  down  with  a  rope  ;  but 
from  the  l)ottom  or  the  side  approach  they  are 
safe,  no  matter  how  easy  the  way  and  accessi- 
ble the  position  may  appear  at  a  i'ew  paces 
distant.  We  tried  it  again  and  again,  till  the 
doctor  had  to  be  hauled  a  few  times,  out  of 
places  from  which  he  could  not  extricate  him- 
self, after  Avhich  he  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  it  was  too  late  in  the  season  for  a  white 
man  to  rob  bird's  nests,  so  he  hired  some  of  the 
natives  to  do  it. 

The  foxes,  however,  probably  understand  the 


THE  SUMMER  CROP  OF  SEALS.  207 

nest-ro])bing  business  better,  and  no  doubt  they 
get  occasional  eggs  in  various  stages  of  incuba- 
tion for  breakfast,  and  have  many  a  spring 
puifin,  murre,  or  gull  for  dinner.  The  mainstay 
of  the  foxes  for  fresh  meat  in  the  summer,  how- 
ever, is  pup  seal,  young  and  tender,  being  milk 
nurtured  and  quite  vealy  in  character.  On  St. 
George's,  where  foxes  are  more  numerous  than 
on  St.  Paul's,  half  a  dozen  of  them  will  get 
around  a  yearling  seal  and  drive  him  back  to 
M'here  they  want  him,  so  as  to  save  the  troul)le 
of  carrying  the  meat  after  kiUing.  The  St. 
George's  foxes  might  eat  dried  seal  meat  all 
Avinter,  if  they  were  provident  as  they  are  bold 
and  cunning. 

The  bull  seals  are  not  so  aggressive  in  the 
latter  part  of  July  as  about  the  first  of  June. 
Early  in  the  season,  on  the  approach  of  a  man, 
they  roar  and  rush  at  him,  holding  ground  for 
their  expected  families.  Now,  on  being  ap- 
proached by  searchers  after  scientific  informa- 
tion, they  roar  and  run  away,  scrambling  over 
the  pups  regardless  of  results,  and  leaving  the 
mothers  to  follow  as  fast  as  they  can,  "which 
fine  instinct  they  rapidly  obey,  and  the  little 
])lack  lum})s  of  pups  crowd  together,  turn  up 
their  pug  noses  and  bleat  to  the  best  of  their 
extraordinarv  abilitv. 


208  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

The  toughness  of  the  pups  is  astonishing. 
The  patriarch  weighing  six  hundred  pounds 
flops  and  tumbles  over  a  mass  meeting  of  pups, 
like  a  runaway  cart  going  through  a  primary 
picnic  ;  and  after  the  event  the  youngsters  pull 
themselves  together,  dig  the  sand  out  of  their 
mouths,  eyes,  and  nostrils,  and,  finding  noljody 
hurt,  all  begin  to  bawl.  An  old  bull  seal  has 
no  more  regard  for  ten  or  twenty  pups  than  the 
devil  has  for  a  penny  box  of  matches.  In  the 
spring,  when  the  patriarch  is  alone,  he  feeds 
his  imagination  with  fancy  pictures  of  family 
delights,  the  larger  the  family  the  better;  and 
then  he  is  ready  to  fight  for  his  rights  ;  but 
after  a  few  weeks'  experience  Avith  a  large 
harem  and  a  nursery  of  corresponding  dimen- 
sions to  look  to  day  and  night,  the  old  fellow 
becomes  nervous  and  is  more  inclined  to  fly 
than  to  shed  the  blood  of  man.  At  this  season 
a  sheep  may  put  an  entire  rookery  to  rout. 

Fog  is  indispensable  to  seal  comfort  on  the 
rookeries  and  hauling-grounds,  l)ut  of  course 
the  fog  lifts  at  times,  and  then  the  seals  seek 
the  soothing  influence  of  sea  bathing.  Though 
the  fog  of  this  region  is  thick  as  molasses,  it 
can  come  and  go  in  a  minute.  From  clear, 
bright  skies  and  a  horizon  at  the  farthest  possi- 
ble extrenn'ty,  it  changes  to  an  obscuritj'  that 


THE  SUMMER  CROP   OF  SEALS.  209 

shuts  out  the  view  of  a  man's  own  nose,  and 
another  lightning  change  brings  back  the  sun. 

On  the  (lay  alter  our  return  to  the  island,  the 
steamer  "St.  Paul"  started  to  go  around  from 
the  eastern  to  the  western  anchorage  to  take  on 
sealskins.  The  distance  is  about  three  miles. 
The  atmosphere  was  clear  when  she  got  under 
way  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  but  l)efore 
she  rounded  the  point,  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
later,  the  fog  fell  :ind  the  land  was  shut  out  from 
view.  She  should  have  been  at  anchor  within 
half  an  hour  after  getting  under  way,  but  she 
did  not  come  in  on  time,  and  the  jsteam-launch 
went  out  alons:  shore  lookino-  for  her.  The 
"St.  Paul"  blew  a  whistle  a  mile  away,  the 
launch  answered  :  and  the  big  steamship  and 
the  little  launch  were  blowing  and  whistling, 
and  hunting  for  each  other  till  two  in  the  after- 
noon, when  the  smaller  found  the  larger  and  led 
her  in  so  close  that  the  top  of  the  blutfs  hung 
almost  overhead  before  the  land  was  seen  and 
the  anchor  let  go.  Yet  the  steamer  was  never 
a  mile  from  the  land  during  tliat  tive  or  six 
hours  of  prospecting. 

When  the  fog  lifts  and  the  sun  shines,  the  fur 
seals  take  to  the  water.  This  is  one  of  the  most 
interesting  occasions  for  watching  them.  First 
the    young    bachelors.    Avhich    occupy   hauling 


210  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

grounds  convenient  to  the  ])ree(ling  rookeries, 
ofo  out  —  free  and  foot-loose  vaga))onds  that  the}' 
are  —  having  no  family  cares  to  interfere  with 
perfect  comfort,  so  iar  as  perfect  independence 
goes.  They  dive  into  the  water  and  spring  out 
of  it,  they  twist  and  turn  and  roll  and  double 
up  and  straighten  out,  float  u[)()n  their  backs, 
scratch  their  ears  with  their  hind  flippers,  rub 
their  noses  with  their  fore  flippers,  and  have  a 
thorough  wash,  getting  the  sand  out  of  their  fur, 
cooling  oft',  and  making  themselves  quite  com- 
fortable. They  enjoy  their  bathing  and  take 
plenty  o'i  it  when  once  in  the  water,  having 
nothing  else  to  do. 

As  the  heat  increases  the  females  beg  off  from 
their  lords  and  masters,  and  by  ones  and  twos 
they  get  away  generally  at  this  time,  leaving  the 
pups  behind.  But  even  when  they  are  only  six 
weeks  old  the  young  ones  are  also  driven  down 
to  the  water  on  hot  days,  and  they  rapidly 
learn  to  swim.  When  the  thermometer  Ment 
up  to  flfty-eight  in  the  shade,  even  the  old  l)ulls 
relaxed  somewhat  of  their  rigid  rules,  and  went 
swimming  also,  showing  how  weak  even  a  ]iatri- 
archal  seal  may  ))e  during  dog-days.  W'iicn 
the  seals  are  all  in  the  water  it  has  the  appear- 
ance of  being  absolutely  thickened  by  them. 
They  twist,  tumble,  and  turn  in  every  direction. 


THE  SUMMER   CROP   OF  SEALS.  211 

thousands  upon  thousands  of  heads  and  flippers 
being  visil)le  along  the  bays  for  miles  in  length, 
and  extending  outward  till  heads  and  flippers 
become  miere  specks.  At  times  a  fleet  of  them 
will  SAvim  away  in  line,  their  noses  alone  being 
visible  in  long  rows.  Then  they  start  off  as 
if  possessed  by  demons,  forcing  themselves  out 
clear  of  tlie  water,  and  disappearing,  to  break 
forth  again  under  and  over  in  a  lively  chase, 
indicating  wonderful  strength  and  powers  of 
endurance. 

Being  slightly  cooled  and  refreshed,  the  bulls 
are  the  first  to  land  again,  reminded,  perhaps, 
of  home  afiairs  and  the  uncertainty  of  domestic 
relations  in  the  seal  kingdom.  They  hnsten  to 
the  beach,  and,  taking  a  hurried  look  around, 
set  up  a  roar,  and,  without  paying  the  slightest 
attention  to  the  pups,  await  the  arrival  of  the 
partners  of  their  rocky  homesteads.  The  ''  cows," 
reminded  of  their  progeny,  come  out  next  and 
proceed  to  find  the  young.  Each  cow  seems 
to  have  a  different  tone  to  her  snarling,  and  as 
she  goes  peering  into  every  group  of  pups  the 
youngsters  toddle  out  and  greet  her,  willing  to 
accept  nourishment  from  any  mother  that  will 
offer  it ;  but  though  the  young  all  look  alike, 
being  of  the  same  age.  color,  and  condition,  the 
dams  know,  or  think  thev  know,  their  own.  and 


212  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

pick  them  out  from  hundreds  of  other  clamorous 
applicants.  Either  the  cows  always  know  their 
own  by  their  smell,  or,  like  gentlemen  at  a  party 
with  their  umbrellas,  each  one  takes  what  is 
believed  to  be  the  best,  leaving  the  worst  to  the 
latest. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

ALEUT    COURTSHIP   AND   MARRIAGE. 

/^N  the  30tli  of  July  the  steamer  "  St.  Paul" 
^^  sailed  out  of  the  fog  surrounding  the  island 
which  bears  the  same  name  as  herself,  having  on 
l)oard  a  carsjo  valued  at  more  than  a  million  dol- 
lars,  for  San  Francisco.  In  addition  to  the  seal- 
skins, she  had  in  her  hold  last  winter's  take  of 
land  furs  for  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company 
from  the  Yukon  district.  The  latter,  along  with 
a  hundred  barrels  of  seal  meat  and  a  large  quan- 
tity of  oil,  were  discharged  at  Onalaska,  where 
we  arrived  on  the  1st  of  August,  having  been 
fog-bound  outside  for  half  a  day.  Every  year 
the  comi)any  ])rings  down  a  large  amount  of  seal 
meat,  which  is  distributed  aratuitouslv  anions; 
the  Onalaska  people,  along  with  seal  oil,  which 
is  almost  indispensable  among  these  people  for 
food.  The  oil  is  a  real  luxury,  and  is  used 
liberally,  when  available,  to  soften  their  dried 
fish.  When  the  large  casks,  containing  two 
hundred  and  tifty  gallons  of  oil  each,  were  rolled 

213 


214  A    TRIP   TO   ALASKA. 

up  the  wharf  here,  to  be  pumped  into  barrels 
for  distribution,  the  tricklings  from  the  pump 
were  scooped  up  on  xA.leut  ringers  and  sipped 
into  Aleut  mouths,  as  the  gamins  on  wharves  in 
the  East  suck  the  syrup  that  leaks  from  barrels 
of  saccharine  sweets.  But  seal  meat  and  oil 
were  not  the  only  important  shipments  by  the 
steamer  "  St.  Paul"  from  the  seal  islands  to  On- 
alaska.  There  came  down  twenty  Onalaska 
men  who  had  been  taken  up  last  spring  as  lal>or- 
ers,  and  as  Onalaska  Aleuts  are  not  so  rich  as 
those  of  the  seal  islands,  their  return  with  their 
earnings  made  (j^uite  an  important  event  for  this 
community.  Yet  this  was  not  all  that  contri))- 
uted  to  the  importance  of  the  occasion.  The 
steamer  lirought  down  four  young  men  from  St. 
George's,  and  tive  from  St.  Paul's,  looking  for 
wives.  It  sliould  ha  known  that  the  fur-seal 
islanders  are  the  creme  de  la  creme  of  Aleut 
society.  They  earn  more  money  and  li\e 
better  than  any  other  Aleuts,  and  naturally 
they  become  fascinating  fellows  as  soon  as  they 
land  among  the  maidens  of  Onahiska. 

Of  course  there  are  young  women  who  desire 
to  marry  on  tiie  fur-seal  islands,  but  the  church 
will  not  })ermit  marriages  within  the  degree  of 
third-cousin  consanguinity,  and,  what  makes  the 
matter  more  oppressive,  a  relationship  equally 


ALEUT  COURTSHIP  AND   MARRIAGE.        215 

.'uinoying  is  manufactured  at  the  baptismal  font. 
An  Aleut  may  not  marry  the  son  or  daughter, 
nor  niece,  nor  nephew,  nor  any  relation  within 
the  seventh  degree  of  his  or  her  godfather  or 
godmother.  This  is  the  solenm  truth,  and  al- 
though people  ought  to  be  glad  to  have  relations, 
when  they  are  rich,  there  is  such  a  thing  as  hav- 
ing too  many  when  they  are  poor.  There  is 
now  on  St.  Georofe's  a  marriageable  youno: 
woman,  unexceptional  from  an  Aleut  point  of 
view,  who  is  so  related  by  ties  of  consanguinity 
with  what  Ave  would  call  remote  cousins,  and  so 
bewilderingly  connected  by  baptism  with  god- 
fathers and  godmothers  and  their  relations,  that 
she  cannot  marry  ui)on  the  island,  although  there 
are  plenty  of  young  men  there  who  need  Avives, 
and  who  Avould  like  to  have  her.  She  got  her 
temper  up  about  it,  and  said  she  would  never 
marry  off  the  island,  Avhich  is  a  noble  sort  of 
self-sacritice  highly  worthy  of  admiration.  When 
the  seal  islanders  come  down  to  Onalaska  they 
lay  siege  to  all  the  marriageable  women  in  the 
settlement,  and  marriages  begin  at  once.  Those 
who  cannot  get  wives  here  —  and  some  such 
cases  are  reiwrted  —  ask  the  Company  to  fur- 
nish them  free  transportation  "  out  West "  to 
Atka,  three  hundred  miles  away.  At  the  same 
time  there  i?  a  surplus  of  female  population  on 


216  A   TRIP   TO    ALASKA. 

the  fur-seal  islands  who  won't  marry  anybody 
but  a  fur-sealer,  because  they  have  been  brought 
up  in  an  aristocratic  Avay  in  frame  cottages,  and 
provided  with  wardrobes  which  enable  them  to 
change  dresses  seven  times  a  day.  Such  are  the 
advantages  and  disadvantages  of  female  educa- 
tion among  the  fur-sealers. 

There  is  not  much  of  the  spooney  business  in 
Aleut  courtship.  The  steamer  landed  the  wife- 
hunting  seal-skinners  on  Friday.  On  Saturday 
one  of  them  was  asked,  "  Are  you  married  yet  ?  " 
"Not  yet,  but  I  shall  be  to-morrow."  "Who 
are  you  going  to  marry  ?  "     "I  don't  know  yet." 

On  Sunday,  two  days  after  the  arrival  of  the 
wife  hunters,  three  of  them  were  married,  two 
couples  at  one  time  and  one  at  another.  The 
three  couples  would  have  been  executed  together 
but  there  were  only  four  crowns  among  the 
church  properties.  Crowns  and  candles  are 
indispensable  at  these  weddings.  When  mar- 
rying a  couple,  the  priest  appears  in  full 
vestments,  with  the  tall,  slightly  tapering 
coffee-pot-shaped  velvet  hat ;  and  a  choir 
of  male  voices  chant  nasal  responses  to  th(^ 
long  service  read  by  his  reverence.  The  cou- 
ples to  be  married  are  stood  up  in  a  row,  the 
first  step  being  to  place  a  lighted  candle,  deco- 
rated with  a  crimson  bow,  in  each  hand.     Then 


ALEUT  VOURTHHir  A^D   MARRIAGE.        "ill 

the  reading  commences,  and  continues  till  the 
priest  shows  signs  of  fatigue,  when  the  attend- 
ant brings  out  blessed  rings  on  a  blessed  tray, 
and  each  one  puts  on  his  or  her  ring,  taken  at 
random  from  the  tray,  man  and  woman  l)eing 
treated  alike  in  this  respect.  After  the  rings 
there  is  more  reading,  with  responses  from  the 
nasal  choir ;  and  when  the  priest  becomes  ex- 
hausted again  the  blessed  crowns  are  brought 
out.  On  this  occasion  there  were  four  crowns, — 
two  which  were  old  and  lustreless,  and  two  which 
were  not  only  new,  but  brilliant  with  rubies, 
emeralds,  and  diamonds,  or  what  looked  like 
them,  and  answered  every  purpose  just  as  well. 
There  stood  the  two  couples,  like  the  kings  and 
queens  of  a  chessboard,  with  crowns  upon  heads 
which  did  not  tit  them. 

Of  the  two  couples  in  this  case  one  bride,  of 
a  Russian  appearance,  was  dressed  in  a  light  silk 
with  a  purple  stripe  ;  she  nad  a  blue  1)ow  at  her 
throat,  and  a  pink  sash  around  her  waist.  Her 
hair  had  been  braided  damp  over  night,  and 
hung  in  waves  down  her  shoulders.  Her  eyes 
were  downcast  constantly  during  the  ceremony, 
and  her  nose,  long  and  straight,  pointed  sharply 
toward  the  floor  in  an  ominous  manner.  She 
wore  a  cynical  sort  of  smile,  like  that  of  an  ex- 
perienced circuit  preacher  when  he  knows  that 


218  A    TRIP    TO   ALASKA. 

the  other  brother  is  o-ettin<j:  nothiiiof  the  better 
of"  him  ill  the  pending  horse-trade.  The  crown 
which  the  groom  of  this  couple  wore  was  much 
too  small  tor  him,  being  a  great,  hirge-headed 
fellow  with  a  thick  neck,  high  cheek  bones,  and 
;i  twenty-pound  fist,  so  that  M'hen  he  should 
have  l)owe(l  he  dared  not.  knowing  that  if  he 
attempted  it  his  crown  would  tumble  to  the  floor. 
On  the  other  hand  the  bride's  crown  was  alto- 
gether too  large  for  her,  and.  wearinsr  her  abun- 
dant  hair  down  her  back  on  that  day  only  gave 
the  crown  a  greater  chance  to  settle.  If  she 
had  worn  it  in  a  coil  on  the  back  of  her  head,  or 
in  a  braid  clubbed  up  behind,  or  in  a  pad  on  top 
a  la  pompadour,  or  en  chignon,  or  watteau,  or 
in  any  of  the  thousand  and  one  styles  known  to 
modern  capillary  engineering,  the  crown  might 
have  been  stayed  in  some  sort  of  a  genteel  posi- 
tion. But  it  settled  down  too  far  at  first,  and 
every  time  she  bowed  in  response  to  the  words 
read  by  the  i)riest,  and  every  time  she  nodded 
in  reply  to  the  questions,  if  she  would  obey, 
&c.,  with  the  hardly-ever  smile  upon  her  re- 
signed face,  the  crown  sunk  lower  and  lower 
till  it  got  down  over  her  ears  ;  and  when  the 
priest  led  the  couple,  hand  in  hand,  three 
times  around  the  little  stand  that  served  as  an 
altar   on    this    occasion,    she    looked    like    the 


ALEUT  COURTSHIP  AND  MARRIAGE.        219 

most  abandoned  creature  in  the  world,  and  as 
if  she  did  not  care  who  knew  it.  Of  course 
the  effect  was  all  due  to  the  crown  coming 
down  over  her  ears  and  to  the  Mephistophelean 
smile  upon  her  countenance,  which  deepened  ns 
the  crown  descended,  but  it  was  enough  to  scare 
all  tliought  of  marrying  in  Onaiaska  out  of  the 
head  of  any  reflecting  man. 

The  other  bride  was  a  Japanese-looking  Aleut, 
black  hair,  narrow,  slanting  eyes,  and  in  person 
short  and  stout.  She  wore  a  gingham  dress, 
and  was  not  only  very  plain,  but  evidently  not 
a  person  of  high  standing  in  society,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  she  attracted  little  attention, 
but  she  Avas  married  as  much  as  any  of  them. 
The  third  couple  were  joined  similarly  soon 
after,  and  next  day  the  three  seal-skinners  paid 
live  dollars  each  for  the  candles  which  had 
lighted  them  into  the  promising  state  of  matri- 
mony. 

About  the  nicest-looking  lot  of  Aleut  women 
we  saw  on  this  cruise  in  Alaska  were  at  Kyska 
for  the  summer,  belonging,  when  at  home,  in 
Atka,  and  being  at  the  time  away  with  the  otter 
hunters:  and  if  the  St.  Paul  and  St.  George 
fellows,  could  get  among  them,  no  doubt  they 
would  marry  and  return  home  with  wives  that 
would  breed  the  most  delightful  jealousies  and 


/ 


220  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

discords  among  the  matrons  of  the  fur-seal 
islands,  who  are  very  proud,  considering  them- 
selves the  elite  of  Alaska  society,  but  who  are 
not  all  so  good-looking  as  those  of  Atka ;  and 
that  fact  would  place  them  at  a  decided  disad- 
vantage in  the  men's  opinion,  for  a  great  many 
of  these  fellows  appear  to  be  sufficiently  civil- 
ized to  prefer  beauty  to  brains  in  a  wife. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

A   FATED    POLAR    CRUISER. 

TpOR  a  month  or  more  the  daily  question  had 
-■-  been,  "AVhere  is  the  Meannette  '  " ?  She 
was  expected  at  Onalaska  by  the  first  of  July, 
then  on  the  second,  third,  fourth  —  the  "glori- 
ous," and  so  on  through  the  entire  thirty  one 
days  of  the  month.  She  was  expected  at  Ona- 
laska, at  St.  Pauls,  at  St.  Michael's.  When 
the  "Rush"  was  steamino;  down  Behring  Straits 
on  the  evening  of  the  15th  of  July,  everybody 
l)elo\v  was  called  on  deck  to  see  the  "  Jeannette" 
coming  up  under  full  sail.  Thei'e  she  was,  hull 
down,  with  standing  jib,  foresail,  mainsail,  main- 
topsail,  and  mizzen-sail,  as  it  appeared,  boom- 
ing along  with  a  stifi'  southwester.  Presently 
our  glasses  revealed  her  coal  consort  on  her 
starboard  quarter ;  but  about  the  same  time  the 
distance  between  the  "  Jeannette's "  fore  and 
mainmast  was  increasing  to  a  remarkable  degree 
and  land  was  looming  up  beyond  her.  The 
ships  were  soon  transformed  into  snow  that  was 

221 


222  A    TRIP    TO   ALASKA. 

seen  tbrouah  the  foo-  ])efbre  tlie  outlines  of  Sledjje 
Island —  on  which  it  lay  in  gulches  —  were  dis- 
cernible, and  that  was  the  phantom  "  Jeannette." 

At  Onalaska  the  "Jeannette"  and  Christ- 
mas were  finally  coupled  together  in  the  prom- 
ise that  they  were  coming,  and  when  the  "Rush" 
arrived  down  from  the  north,  bringing  no  tidings 
and  hearing  none  of  the  expedition,  the  long- 
looked-for  "Jeannette"  was  given  up  for  the 
year  There  were  various  theories  as  to  why 
she  did  not  arrrive.  One  was  that  San  Fran- 
cisco offered  superior  advantages  as  a  Avinter 
station  for  a  vessel  in  search  of  the  North  Pole. 
Another,  that  she  had  been  found  unseaworthy. 
A  third,  that  she  had  started  through  the  inland 
passage  to  Sitka,  and  been  "piled  u}) "  on  some 
one  of  the  numerous  reefs  to  be  found  on  thai; 
route. 

About  one  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  August 
2,  it  was  ascertained  that  a  ship  believed  to  be 
the  "Jeannette"  was  standing  in  by  Kallekhla 
Point.  Then  the  fog  closed  in  again  and  the 
ship  was  shut  out  from  sight,  having  been  seen 
but  for  a  few  moments.  The  pilot  of  the 
"  Rush"  jumped  into  the  middle  of  a  three-holed 
bidarkie,  and  with  an  .Vleut  before  and  one 
behind,  went  paddling  out  to  meet  the  stran- 
gers.    The  bidarkie  had  been  lonu'  out  of  sight 


A  FATED  POLAR  CRUISER.  223 

in  the  fog  before  anything  could  be  seen  of  the 
bound-in  ship,  but  finally  she  loomed  up  in  the 
fog,  and  the  pilot  was  upon  the  bridge,  bringing 
her  around  the  reef  that  stretches  almost  across 
the  harbor,  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  set- 
tlement. At  half-past  three  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  2d  of  August,  1879,  the  ''Jeannette"  was 
moored  to  the  buoy  in  the  inner  harbor,  within 
a  hundred  yards  of  the  "Rush"  at  anchor,  and 
about  the  same  distance  from  the  "  St.  Paul"  at 
the  wharf.  It  was  the  first  time  that  three 
steamships  were  seen  in  this  small  harbor  at  one 
time,  but  it  is  not  so  uncommon  a  sight  these 
later  years. 

The  "  Jeannette  "  was  about  as  ugly  a  craft  as 
ever  was  set  afloat,  and  as  she  came  in  with  a 
heavy  list  to  port,  she  looked  like  a  half- 
whipped  hog  making  leeway  out  of  a  rough- 
and-tuml)le  fight.  She  was  even  uglier  than 
she  looked,  having  been  twenty-five  days  mak- 
ing the  passage  from  San  Francisco,  about 
twenty-one  hundred  miles,  and  consuming  one 
hundred  and  sixty  tons  of  coal  —  enough  to  last 
the  "St.  Paul" — more  than  double  than  the 
" Jeannctte's"  tonnage  —  tlie  trip  to  the  seal 
islands  and  back  to  San  Francisco.  Five  knots 
an  hour  was  considered  good  work  for  the 
"Jeannette"  on  the  trip  up,  and  six  knots  was 


224  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

the  very  utmost  that  could  be  forced  out  of  her. 
The  boilers  were  ridiculouslj^  small  for  the  work 
to  be  done,  and  the  engnie  might  have  been 
thrown  overboard  by  Noah  as  too  much  of  a 
dead  Aveight  to  the  ark.  The  whole  machinery 
seemed  to  have  been  constructed  for  a  maxi- 
mum consumption  of  coal  with  a  minimum  of 
distance,  and  m  this  respect  it  was  wonderful. 
She  consumed  a  ton  of  coal  for  about  every 
thirteen  miles  from  San  Francisco,  wdiile  the 
"  Rush,"  during  the  month  of  July,  made  fifty- 
four  miles  for  every  ton  of  coal  used,  and  aver- 
aged about  seven  and  a  half  knots  per  hour, 
when  not  stopping  for  hourly  soundings.  The 
"  Jeannette"  took  on  one  hundred  and  fifty  tons 
of  coal  at  Onalaska,  and  was  to  have  another 
hundred  tons  at  St.  Michael's.  She  was  about 
two  months  too  late  to  accomplish  anything  the 
first  year.  She  ought  to  have  left  San  Fran- 
cisco early  m  May,  instead  of  in  July ;  then  she 
would  have  had  a  chance  to  go  as  far  as  any 
ship  has  ever  been  and  prepare  for  winter.  In 
addition  to  the  coal  taken  on  here,  the  "  Jean- 
nette  "  also  received  from  the  superintendent  of 
the  Onalaska  district  for  the  Alaska  Commer- 
cial Company  twenty-five  "kamleikas,"  or  water- 
proof skin  shirts,  twenty-five  seal  blankets, 
sixteen  marmot  blankets,  thirty  reindeer  skins, 


A  FATED  POLAR  CRUISER.  225 

twenty-five  reindeer  sleeping-bags,  sixteen  rein- 
deer coats,  twenty-seven  marmot  coats,  a  lot  of 
mittens  and  snow-shoes,  and  tAvelve  thousand 
"eucali"  or  dried  salmon.  These  articles,  as 
well  as  the  coal,  were  donated  by  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company ;  General  INliller,  then 
president,  having  provided  Captain  De  Long 
wMth  carte  blanche  for  anything  he  might  want, 
if  procurable  at  their  stations. 

As  the  "Rush"  was  to  leave  Onalaska  on 
August  4th  for  the  Island  of  Xunivak,  the  "  St. 
Paul"  being  announced  to  sail  for  'Frisco  on 
the  5th,  and  the  "  Jeannette  "  to  struggle  out  on 
the  6th  or  7th  for  St.  ^Michael's,  a  dinner  was 
given  at  the  company's  house  to  Captains  Bailey, 
Erskine,  and  De  Long,  and  officers  of  the 
"Rush"  and  "Jeannette."  It  was  a  quiet,  socia- 
ble dinner,  without  toasts  or  speeches,  and  a 
very  pleasant  gathering  it  proved  to  be. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


A    WKECK. 


/"\N  the  30th  of  July,  1879,  a  ship's  dingy 
^^  with  foresail  and  jib  set  came  sailing  into 
the  harbor  of  Onalaska,  having  four  persons 
al)oard.  These  persons  Avere  Mr.  Beresford, 
mate,  a  colored  man,  —  second  mate,  and  two 
seamen  of  the  once  notorious  brig  "  Timandra,"' 
a  trader,  Avith  such  a  reputation  for  selling  rum 
to  the  Eskimos  that  her  late  captain.  Havens, 
could  not  get  a  clearance  from  the  custom-house 
in  San  Francisco  ;  so  she  was  sent  out  in  com- 
mand of  Mr.  Thomas,  formerly  her  mate,  and 
Beresford  was  shipped  as  navigating  officer. 
She  cleared  from  San  Francisco  for  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  for  the  purpose  of  taking  rum 
aboard,  and  Ravens,  her  old  captain,  got  a 
license  as  pilot  of  the  "  Ellen  J.  McKinnon." 
starting  north  in  her.  She  was  wrecked  :  Ca])- 
tain  Ravens  being  washed  out  of  the  rigging, 
and  all  hands  losing  their  lives,  some  suddenh", 
and  others  by  the  slow  process  of  starvation, 
except  one  man,  who  was  rescued  after  tifteen 
226 


A    WRECK.  227 

days  of  horrible  suffering  on  the  wreck,  which 
continued  to  float,  water-logged.  The  "jVIc- 
Kinnon  "  had  a  cargo  of  general  merchandise  on 
board  for  trade  among '  the  Aleuts  and  the 
Indians  of  Behring  Straits,  while  the  "Timan- 
dra"  had  rum,  arms,  and  ammunition  as  the 
chief  commodities  in  her  cargo.  The  two  ves- 
sels were  to  have  met  at  one  of  two  places 
agreed  on,  and,  after  interchanging  cargoes, 
proceed  to  the  trading-grounds  under  conmiand 
of  Captain  Ravens. 

On  the  8th  of  March  the  "  Timandra "  got 
under  way  from  San  rran(,'isco.  She  left  Plono- 
lulu  April  9,  and  arrived  without  accident  in 
Oonimak  Pass,  to  the  eastward  of  Onalaska, 
May  4.  Not  finding  the  "  McKinnon  "  here,  and 
supposing  her  to  be  in  advance  of  him,  Captain 
Thomas  stood  for  Xunivak,  and  arrived  off  that 
island  on  the  10th  of  ]May.  To  his  surprise  the 
"McKinnon"  was  not  there,  l)ut,  not  doubting 
that  she  would  come,  and  not  knowing  what  to 
do  without  the  presence  of  Captain  Ravens  or 
further  orders,  the  brig  was  kept  off  and  on  at 
Xunivak  without  any  event  of  interest  occun-ing 
until  May  20,  when  she  struck  on  a  sand  1)ar  off 
the  northwest  point  of  the  island,  aljoiit  two  and 
a  half  miles  from  shore. 

Tmmediatelv  after  striking  the  brio-  connnenced 


228  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

to  fill,  and  the  pumps  were  put  to  work.  Land- 
ing on  the  west  side  was  impracticable,  but  under 
the  southwest  point  a  bight  makes  in  to  a  smootli 
l)each,  and  in  westerly  or  northerly  weather  it 
afibrds  a  ver}^  good  anchorage.  In  southerly 
weather  no  vessel  can  remain  there  in  safety. 
Immediately  on  getting  under  the  lee  of  tlie 
island  a  portion  of  the  crew  was  set  to  breaking 
out  the  cargo,  and  the  remainder  worked  tlie 
pumps.  In  getting  the  goods  ashore,  valuable 
assistance  was  rendered  by  the  Nunivak  Indians 
or  their  squaws,  for  the  men,  like  all  other  sav- 
ages of  their  sex,  can  atford  to  despise  work. 
Discharging  cargo  continued  till  the  23d,  the 
men  having  been  kept  at  it  day  and  night,  on 
which  date,  evorytliing  of  value  being  landed, 
the  vessel  was  abandoned,  and  she  soon  sank 
in  the  sand.  The  ship's  company  consisted  of 
twelve  persons,  all  told,  including  ]\Ir.  Barker, 
the  supercargo. 

After  securing  the  cargo  the  castaways  turned 
to  and  housed  themselves  and  the  goods.  Hav- 
ing had  a  lot  of  lumber  in  the  ship  for  East 
Cape,  they  took  scantling  enough  for  a  frame  and 
boards  for  flooring.  'Vho  frame  being  covered 
with  sails  sti'ipped  from  the  sunken  vessel,  which 
had  been  run  in  as  far  as  possible  and  beached, 
they  succeeded  in  making  a  canvas  house. 


A    WRECK.  229 

At  that  time  there  was  deep  snow  upon  the 
ground  and  the  weather  was  quite  cold,  so  two 
stoves  were  put  up  in  the  house.  All  of  the 
finer  g'oods  were  kept  in  this  structure,  where 
all  the  hands  lived ;  but  the  less  valuable  and 
less  perishable  part  ot"  the  cargo,  except  bulky 
articles,  were  stowed  away  in  casks  and  barrels. 
Here  in  this  canvas  house,  on  an  island  seldom 
if  ever  visited  by  ships  or  civilized  beings,  sur- 
rounded by  the  lowest  of  barbarians,  though  a 
peaceful  peo])le,  with  whom  they  could  not 
exchange  an  intelligent  word,  the  men  of  the 
lost  vessel  all  lived  for  two  months,  and  some 
of  them  longer. 

The  Indians  of  Xunivak  subsist  on  venison 
and  fish,  which  they  eat  raw,  and  clothe  them- 
selves in  deerskin  coats  or  parkies  and  seal- 
skin pantaloons.  They  live  in  low,  earthen 
huts,  with  underground  connnunications,  and, 
as  a  result  of  this  sort  of  life,  are  subject  to 
coughs,  asthma,  and  lung  diseases  generally. 
They  know  nothing  of  the  white  man  nor  his 
ways,  but,  on  seeing  the  sailors  cooking,  tried  the 
experiment  in  an  almost  crude  way,  eating  some 
half-roasted,  half-burned  walrus  meat  as  a  culi- 
nary experiment.  They  knew  nothing  of  bread 
l)efore  the  arrival  of  the  shipwrecked  sailors, 
but  ate   it  eagerly  when  it  was   offered  them. 


230  A    TlilF   TO  ALASKA. 

Anything  with  the  savor  of  salt  in  it  they  reject- 
ed with  signs  of  repugnance. 

The  Indians  brought  in  venison  whenever  it 
was  wanted,  giving  a  quarter  for  a  box  of  per- 
cussion caps  or  a  little  tobacco.  They  use  old- 
fashioned  muzzle-loading  <runs  obtained  from 
Indian  traders,  who  cross  over  from  the  mainland 
on  the  ice.  In  addition  to  deerskins  they  have 
some  red  foxes,  the  skins  shown,  however,  being 
of  inferior  quality,  probably  rejected  by  the 
mainland  Indians,  who  act  as  agents  in  many 
parts  of  Northern  Alaska  for  the  companies 
■which  control  the  fur  trade  from  Cook's  Inlet 
to  the  Arctic. 

About  fifty  yards  from  the  house  of  the  ship- 
wrecked party  was  a  village  containing  forty  or 
fifty  Indian  men,  women,  and  children.  The 
men  were  almost  constantly  about  the  white  men's 
camp,  but  the  women  only  came  at  intervals. 
"When  the  crew  were  engaged  getting  the  cargo 
ashore,  the  squaws  assisted  them  under  orders 
from  the  men,  Avho  had  their  orders  from  the 
chief.  After  the  work  was  completed  the  squaws 
disappeared,  and  were  never  seen  again  except 
for  a  few  days  at  a  time. 

Some  time  after  abandoning  the  brig  the  chief 
of  the  village  took  sick,  and  although  he  received 
everv  attention  that  the  whites  could  render  (for' 


A    WRECK.  231 

he  had  been  very  friendly  with  them),  he  died. 
The  corpse  was  not  cold  before  the  Indians 
wrapped  it,  tying  the  arms  and  legs  so  as  to  keep 
the  body  in  a  sitting  posture,  and  carried  it  to  a 
sort  of  cairn,  or  pile  of  stones,  where  it  was  set 
up  on  a  floor  or  foundation  and  covered  with 
loose  rocks.  All  the  chiefs  personal  property, 
even  to  a  Malacca  cane  given  him  by  the  whites, 
w^as  deposited  with  the  body.  As  soon  as  that 
ceremony  had  ])een  ])erfornied,  the  oldest  widow 
in  the  village  tore  the  parka  and  pantaloons 
from  the  late  chiefs  widow  and  threw  them,  alons: 
with  the  other  property,  upon  the  pile  that  marks 
his  departure  for  that  southern  clime  to  which 
the  Avild  geese  fly  in  the  fall,  according  to  the 
belief  of  the  Indians  along  that  part  of  the 
coast. 

Xunivak  is  a  cold,  cheerless  place,  ice  remain- 
ing in  the  little  stream  near  the  village  all  sum- 
mer, as  the  castaways  were  given  to  understand. 
Ice  is  the  great  preservative  among  these  In- 
dians, their  only  mode  of  keeping  meat,  which 
is  killed  when  fattest,  in  the  winter,  being  to 
freeze  it.  Codfish  and  smelts  arc  plentiful  al)out 
the  island,  and  salmon  of  the  finest  quality  are 
taken  in  the  little  stream  near  the  village.  As 
soon  as  spring  weather  sets  in,  the  men  of  Xuni- 
vak  bathe  freely,  but  the  women  are  represented 


232  A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

as  beinof  most  filthy,  never  induljrins:  in  such 
nonsense  as  the  bath.  The  island  is  almost  con- 
stantly enveloped  in  fog,  so  far  as  is  known  to 
the  sailors ;  and  it  is  altogether  a  fair  sample 
of  Alaska,  though  there  are  a  few  more  attract- 
ive spots,  perhaps,  and  a  great  many  more  too 
much  like  it. 

Among  the  oflScers  of  the  "  Timandra "  w^as 
Mr.  Beresford,  first  mate  and  navigating  officer. 
As  soon  as  everything  that  could  1)6  done  after 
abandoning  the  brig  had  been  accomplished,  he 
set  about  making  arrangements  to  get  away  be- 
fore winter  should  set  in  and  shut  him  off"  from 
all  hope  of  seeing  civilization  again  that  year. 
He  proposed  that  Captain  Thomas  should  make 
an  effort  to  reach  the  Kuskoquim,  but  the  cap- 
tain, unacquainted  with  the  people  there,  did 
not  appear  to  relish  the  idea  of  venturing  out 
to  take  the  chances  of  landing  among  worse  sav- 
ages on  the  mainland  than  tho.se  met  upon  the 
island.  It  was  determined,  liowever,  to  build  a 
large  boat,  if  possible,  with  which  })urpose  in 
view  work  was  commenced  b}'  laying  a  keel,  cut 
from  the  main  boom  of  the  brig,  for  a  five-ton 
craft.  Cask  staves  were  used  for  knees,  and  a 
stem  and  stern  post  constructed  of  the  ship's  rail. 
Tvuniber  from  the  cargo  was  taken  for  planking, 
but  owino:  to  a  want  of  steamino-  facilities  it  did 


A    WRECK.  233 

not  work  very  well,  as  spruce  does  not  bend 
readily,  except  under  more  favorable  circum- 
stances than  those  attending  the  shipwrecked 
mariners  on  Nunivak.  A  boiler,  originally 
constructed  for  trying  blubber  on  board  the 
vessel,  was  used  for  steaming  the  planking, 
but  the  boards  broke  more  frequentl\-  than  they 
bent.  It  was  a  question,  too,  whether,  even 
if  the  boat  were  once  planked,  she  could  be 
caulked  and  made  water-tight.  So,  about  the 
20th  of  June,  having  been  at  the  work  for 
three  weeks,  it  was  given  up. 

Then  the  mate  went  to  work  on  another 
scheme.  He  built  up  the  ding}-,  or  ship's  boat, 
about  six  inches  on  the  sides,  decking  her  over, 
leaving  only  a  sort  of  coxswain's  ))ox  aft,  and 
concluded  to  go  in  search  of  relief.  He  stepped 
a  foremast,  and  shipped  a  jibboom,  took  in  his 
chronometer,  sextant,  a  ship's  compass,  and  ten 
days'  provisions.  The  first  and  second  mates, 
and  two  men,  one  of  them  sick,  went  aboard 
this  craft,  so  small  that  only  two  could  remain 
up  at  a  time,  the  others  being  required  to  lay 
beneath  the  decking  in  order  to  aftbrd  room  for 
steering  and  htuidling  the  sails.  ]Mr.  Beresford 
set  his  course  for  Onalaska,  leaving  Xunivak 
July  26,  for  a  foui'-hundred  mile  voyage. 

On  the  tirst  and  second  days  he  got  observa- 


234  A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 

tions,  but  after  that  the  fog  shut  out  everything, 
till  on  the  30th  of  July  he  made  land.  While 
pulling  along  to  find  out  if  the  place  were  in- 
habited, he  saw  a  vessel  becalmed,  and,  board- 
ing her,  he  found  himself  upon  the  deck  of  the 
schooner  ''St.  George,"  of  the  Alaska  Commer- 
cial Company.  The  shipwrecked  sailors  were 
directed  to  the  entrance  of  Onalaska  harbor, 
which  they  readily  made,  and  thus  in  four  days 
they  had  sailed  four  hundred  miles  in  an  open 
boat,  and  were  where  the}"  could  hope  for  relief 
for  their  couipanions  cast  away  on  Xunivak. 

This  voyage  from  Xunivak  direct  to  Onalaska 
in  four  days  was  extraordinary,  as  a  storm  would 
have  swamped  the  boat,  and  if  she  had  struck  one 
of  the  common  cross-currents,  often  encountered 
in  Behring  Sea,  she  might  have  been  carried  a 
hundred  miles  out  of  her  course  before  the  fog 
lifted.  A  continued  calm  of  ten  days  before  he 
started,  a  favoring  breeze  the  entire  distance, 
and  a  thorough  knowledge  of  his  l)usiness,  car- 
ried the  mate  and  his  companions  through  in 
safety. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


CONCLUSION. 


^T^HE  reader  who  may  have  considered  the 
-*-  subjects  treated  of  in  the  foregoing  pages 
will  not  find  much  in  them  to  encourage  him  to 
seek  a  home  in  Alaska.  To  an  impartial  ob- 
server it  would  seem  wicked  to  suggest  emigra- 
tion from  any  part  of  the  United  States  to  a 
land  the  coast  lines  of  which  are  characterized 
by  snow,  rain,  and  fog  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
almost  entirely  preclude  the  ripening  of  any 
sort  of  vegetables  suitable  for  man's  food,  and 
the  interior  of  which,  so  far  as  known,  is  largely 
coy^osed  of  ice-water  l)Ogs  in  summer  and 
frozei^^  lakes  for  eight  out  of  the  twelve  months 
in  the  year.  Plainl}-,  so  far  as  I  could  see  or 
hear,  Alaska  is  as  illy  ada})tcd  to  grazing  as  to 
farming  purposes.  The  climate  is  against  either 
of  those  industries,  and  though  the  possibility 
of  a  family's  existence  ])y  farming  or  cattle 
raising  in  Alaska  is  not  denied,  its  practicability 
is  doubted.     CertainU'  a  more  comfortable  live- 


236  A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 

lihood  may  be  gained  in  any  of  the  States  or 
Territories,  as  tliey  are  known  and  understood, 
than  in  Alaska.  Tlie  timber  resources  of  Alaska 
are  limited  both  in  quantity  and  quality,  al- 
though this  fact  is  not  generally  believed.  Coal 
has  l)een  found,  ])ut  in  an  undeveloped  condition. 
The  precious  metals  are  reported  in  rich  depos- 
its from  time  to  time,  but  statistics  of  bullion 
shipments  from  Alaska  have  no  existence,  and 
there  is  little  doubt  that  up  to  the  present  time 
more  money  has  been  expended  by  deluded 
prospectors  in  outfits  than  has  ever  been  dug 
out  of  the  earth  or  crusted  in  the  rock  of  that 
vast  region.  There  are  plenty  of  fish  in  Alaska, 
and  opportunities  still  remain  for  the  location  of 
salmon-curing  establishments.  It  will  proba))ly 
be  made  evident  in  a  short  time  that  the  Alaska 
salmon  are  superior  to  any  caught  so  far  south 
as  the  Columbia  River. 

The  question  of  a  form  of  government  for 
Alaska  is  receiving  considerable  attention,  and 
it  appears  that  some  Congressional  action  in  this 
direction  must  soon  be  perfected.  For  this 
purpose  it  would  seem  to  be  desirable  that  the 
Territory  should  be  divided,  and  a  simple  form 
of  government  provided  where  it  is  needed — and 
where  onl}'  it  would  be  practical  at  present — in 
that  portion  from  ^Nlount  St.  Elias  to  Cape  Fox. 


CONCLUSION.  237 

Any  attempt  to  enforce  and  keep  up  a  Territo- 
rial form  of  o-overnment  throuofhout  the  remain- 
der  of  that  vast  region  would  probably  result  in 
failure  for  years  to  come.  In  any  event,  no 
faruier,  mechanic,  or  small  trader  who  can  gain 
a  livelihood  in  any  other  State  or  Territory 
ought  to  risk  his  happiness  in  Alaska. 


C.  J.  Peters  &  Son,   Klectrotypers,  Boston. 


University  of  California 

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LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA  90095-1388 

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